ABSTRACT
The Charter for the Protection and Management of Archaeological Heritage of the International Committee on Archaeological Heritage Management (ICAHM), adopted by the General Assembly of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), describes archaeological heritage as ‘a fragile and non-renewable cultural resource’. The Charter recognizes that even professional archaeological investigation can cause the loss of part of the archaeological record in the process of excavation or removal of artefacts and soil, so it also stresses the need for non-destructive techniques and in situ
preservation. The Charter calls on all nations to make archaeological resources part of their overall land use and economic development planning processes, in order to ensure that development does not result in the unmitigated destruction of archaeological sites. It recommends adequate preservation legislation both for ensuring that sites are protected and that adequate funding is provided for archaeological investigations (Elia 1991).
