Code Of Ethics

ARARA members shall abide by the standards of the following Code of Ethics:

(a) The membership of ARARA shall strictly adhere to all local, state, and national antiquities laws and laws of access. Rock art research shall be subject to all applicable regulations and any and all property access requirements and restrictions, both public and private.  This includes not revealing or publishing locations of all sites as required by the private landowner and state or federal agencies.

(b) All rock art recording shall be non-destructive regarding rock art itself and the associated archaeological remains present. No artifacts shall be collected unless the work is done as part of a legally constituted program of an archaeological project.

(c) No excavation shall be conducted unless the work is done as part of a legally constituted excavation project. Removal of soil shall not be undertaken for the sole purpose of exposing subsurface rock art without proper permission.

(d) Potentially destructive recording and research procedures shall be undertaken only as part of a legally constituted research project.

(e) Using the name of the American Rock Art Research Association, the initials of ARARA, and/or the logos adopted by ARARA and the identification of an individual as a member of ARARA are allowed only in conjunction with rock art projects undertaken in full accordance with accepted professional archaeology standards. The name ARARA may not be used for commercial purposes. While members may use their affiliation with ARARA for identification purposes, research projects, site visits, and inquiries for site locations may not be represented as having the sponsorship of ARARA without the express approval of the Board.

(f) Members shall respect Native American wishes regarding site visitation and use of images and wishes of researchers working at a site regarding access and the use of research data and images.