Archaeological Survey Services in Alabama & the Southeast
Our Archaeological Survey Services in the Southeast
TVAR provides Phase I, Phase II, and Phase III archaeological surveys throughout Alabama and the Southeast. Our team specializes in Section 106 compliance under the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), working with federal agencies, developers, and government contractors to identify and evaluate archaeological resources. From pedestrian archaeological surveys to intensive data recovery excavations, our RPA-certified archaeologists deliver thorough, defensible cultural resource management (CRM) reports that meet state and federal agency requirements.
SNODGRASS BRIDGE
The Snodgrass Bridge site consists of deeply stratified archaeological deposits along the banks of the Tennessee River that have produced important evidence regarding the prehistory of northeastern Alabama. The site yielded a substantial collection of carbonized food plant remains and remnants of an earth oven, both of which are informative in regard to Late Woodland foodways.
CHICKASAWHAY CREEK
Tennessee Valley Archaeological Research conducted extensive excavations at three sites along Chickasawhay Creek in east-central Mississippi. The investigations revealed evidence of periodic Native American occupations over a period of more than 5,ooo years. The latest occupations were associated with Choctaws residing in the area during the eras of colonial Louisiana and early American expansion into the region.
KNOXVILLE
TVAR conducted excavations in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee that exposed archaeological deposits dating from the early 1800s until the 1970s. Among the findings were remains of a nineteenth-century mayor’s house and a residential structure that was converted into a Lutheran mission home, which provided care for both orphans and wayward women. The archaeological excavations exposed remnants of a subterranean dungeon built by the mission home for the confinement of some of its adult female inmates.
Archaeological surveys are commonly required for infrastructure projects including pipeline construction, road improvements, bridge replacements, utility line installations, and federal land management activities. TVAR partners with engineering firms, environmental consultants, utility companies, state DOTs, and government agencies to deliver timely Section 106 compliance surveys across the region. Our principal investigators hold decades of combined experience in southeastern prehistoric and historic archaeology, ensuring expert field judgment and rigorous laboratory analysis at every phase of the survey process.
Whether your project requires a Phase I identification survey, Phase II evaluation of National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) eligibility, or Phase III data recovery excavations, TVAR’s RPA-certified archaeologists deliver professional, well-documented reports that consistently meet state historic preservation office (SHPO) and federal agency review standards. We serve clients across Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, and North Carolina and understand the schedule pressures that come with federally regulated projects.
TVAR has completed hundreds of archaeological survey projects across the Southeast since our founding, developing deep knowledge of regional prehistoric cultures, historic settlement patterns, and site formation processes throughout Alabama and surrounding states. Our archaeologists are thoroughly familiar with the documentation standards and review processes of multiple State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs) and federal agencies, which translates into fewer revision requests and faster project turnaround — keeping your construction or development schedule on track. Our woman-owned firm brings both professional excellence and personalized client service to every archaeological survey engagement.
Our archaeological surveys are often paired with our historic preservation services, cultural resource research, and GIS and remote sensing capabilities to provide comprehensive CRM solutions across Alabama and the Southeast.
TVAR employs systematic, scientifically rigorous field methods across all phases of archaeological survey. Phase I identification surveys utilize shovel test pit transects or mechanical trenching, depending on terrain and project requirements, to systematically sample subsurface soil horizons for cultural materials. Phase II evaluations apply targeted test units, feature excavations, and radiometric dating to determine National Register of Historic Places eligibility. Phase III data recovery excavations follow approved mitigation plans and are designed to recover the maximum scientific information from sites before ground-disturbing activities proceed. All field methods conform to current professional standards and the requirements of applicable State Historic Preservation Offices across Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, and the Southeast.
Quality reporting is central to TVAR’s archaeological practice. Our CRM reports are prepared by principal investigators with graduate degrees in archaeology and decades of southeastern fieldwork experience. Every report includes detailed site descriptions, artifact analyses, feature interpretations, and site significance evaluations supported by primary data and appropriate scholarly references. TVAR’s reports routinely receive positive responses from SHPO reviewers across the Southeast, reflecting our team’s familiarity with agency expectations and our commitment to producing archaeological survey documentation that is clear, thorough, and methodologically defensible. Our RPA-certified archaeologists are committed to advancing knowledge of southeastern prehistory and history while delivering the practical compliance outcomes our clients depend on.
