In an era of shrinking research budgets and political pressure to justify public investment, federally funded digital archives in archaeology are delivering measurable, lasting benefits to scholars, land managers, Indigenous communities, and the public. The Center for Digital Antiquity at Arizona State University, with generous support from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), has created a transformative digital resource: the Digital Archive of Huhugam Archaeology.

Plan Maps of Outlying Structures at Pueblo la Plata, Perry Mesa

This NEH-funded initiative consolidates over 90 years of archaeological research from central and southern Arizona into one accessible, secure, and preservation-ready archive hosted in the Digital Archaeological Record (tDAR). The project responds to an urgent challenge: while archaeological fieldwork produces valuable data, the long-term preservation and reuse of that information remains uneven and, too often, inadequate. Many projects, especially older or smaller ones, are never digitized or preserved according to best practices. As a result, potentially invaluable knowledge remains inaccessible or lost entirely.

1933 and 1934 Casa Grande Ruins Excavation Photographs

In our open access article “The Digital Archive of Huhugam Archaeology and the Reuse of Archaeological Information” (out now in the SAA journal Advances in Archaeological Practice) we work to highlight the wealth of information generated from years of historic preservation work in the Phoenix Valley, as well and describe how archives measure the impact of data reuse.  We detail how the NEH grant funding allowed us to take regionally specific archaeological information—once scattered in gray literature, paper files, and fragile formats across many different agencies, companies, and offices—and make it publicly available and discoverable for reuse in new research, cultural resource management, and community-based heritage work. By making these resources ethically accessible—we worked specifically with the Four Southern Tribes of Arizona to ensure culturally sensitive information was redacted or made confidential—the archive supports contemporary archaeological research, strengthens land-use planning decisions, and increases Tribal and public access to cultural heritage.

Map of Archaeological Site Locations on Perry Mesa

The article also describes how the archive enables Indigenous communities to access, review, and interpret archaeological materials related to their lands—materials that were often generated without their input or involvement. This access supports cultural revitalization, informed consent, and Tribal sovereignty over knowledge about their past.  We believe that the DAHA archive will be a well-used digital resource, making it a tangible public return on investment in humanities infrastructure; whether for environmental compliance, Tribal consultation, or academic research, having trusted, long-term access to high-quality archaeological data improves outcomes and reduces redundancy and cost.

A001-001-the prehistoric irrigation of… is
Salt River Valley Canal System

Another point we touch on in the article is how we can, and often struggle, to measure the reuse of information from archives. Beyond page views and download counts, we are working to pioneer new ways of assessing both the quality and impact of reuse—whether in published research, cultural resource reports, or policy decisions. These measures underscore the enduring value of archaeological archives as civic infrastructure.

In a time of increasing scrutiny over federal spending, projects like the Digital Archive of Huhugam Archaeology provide a compelling case for continued public investment in the humanities. They demonstrate how modest funding, when guided by vision and collaboration, can produce resources that benefit diverse communities for generations.

All images fall under a Creative Commons license.

The open access article “The Digital Archive of Huhugam Archaeology and the Reuse of Archaeological Information” is out now in the SAA journal Advances in Archaeological Practice.