Smithsonian trinomial

Quality 0.50 · 2 views · Updated 2 months ago

Identifier assigned to archaeological sites

title: "Smithsonian trinomial" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["archaeological-sites-in-the-united-states", "unique-identifiers", "smithsonian-institution"] description: "Identifier assigned to archaeological sites" topic_path: "philosophy" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smithsonian_trinomial" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Identifier assigned to archaeological sites ::

A Smithsonian trinomial (formally the Smithsonian Institution Trinomial System, abbreviated SITS) is a unique identifier assigned to archaeological sites in many states in the United States. Trinomials are composed of a one or two digit coding for the state, typically two letters coding for the county or county-equivalent within the state, and one or more sequential digits representing the order in which the site was listed in that county. The Smithsonian Institution developed the site number system in the 1930s and 1940s, but it no longer maintains the system. Trinomials are now assigned by the individual states. The 48 states then in the union were assigned numbers in alphabetical order. Alaska was assigned number 49 and Hawaii was assigned number 50, after those states were admitted to the union. There is no Smithsonian trinomial number assigned for the District of Columbia or any United States territory.

Most states use trinomials of the form "nnAAnnnn", but some specify a space or dash between parts of the identifier, i.e., "nn AA nnnn" or "nn-AA-nnnn". Some states use variations of the trinomial system. Arizona, California, Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island, and Vermont use two-letter abbreviations of the state name instead of the Smithsonian number. Alaska uses three-letter abbreviations for USGS map quadrangles in place of the county code. Arizona uses a five-part identifier based on USGS maps, specifying quadrangles, then rectangles within a quadrangle, a sequential number within the rectangle, and a code identifying the agency issuing the sequential number. California uses a three-letter abbreviation for counties. Connecticut and Rhode Island do not use any sub-state codes, with site identifiers consisting of the state abbreviation and a sequential number series for the whole state. Delaware uses a single letter code for counties and adds a block code (A-K) within each county, with sequential numbers for each block. Hawaii uses a four-part identifier, "50" for the state, a two-digit code for the island, then a two-digit code to designate the USGS topographical quad, plus a four digit sequential site number for sites on each island.

Archaeological site identification codes used by states

::data[format=table] | State || Format || County or equivalent codes | |---| | Alabama | | Alaska | | Arizona | | Arkansas | | California | | Colorado | | Connecticut | | Delaware | | Florida | | Georgia | | Hawaii | | Idaho | | Illinois | | Indiana | | Iowa | | Kansas | | Kentucky | | Louisiana | | Maine | | Maryland | | Massachusetts | | Michigan | | Minnesota | | Mississippi | | Missouri | | Montana | | Nebraska | | Nevada | | New Hampshire | | New Jersey | | New Mexico | | North Carolina | | North Dakota | | Ohio | | Oklahoma | | Oregon | | Pennsylvania | | Rhode Island | | South Carolina | | South Dakota | | Tennessee | | Texas | | Utah | | Vermont | | Virginia | | Washington | | West Virginia | | Wisconsin | | Wyoming | ::

References

References

  1. (September 2, 2008). "Section 7:4-8.1 - Definitions, N.J. Admin. Code § 7:4-8.1".
  2. (July 2012). "Appendix H: Historic, archaeological, and paleontological contexts". U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
  3. "Site Records". Texas Archaeological Research Laboratory.
  4. "Site Forms". University of Georgia Anthropology Department.
  5. "Archaeological Collections Management: Old Washington State Park, Washington, Hempstead County, Arkansas".
  6. "State Abbreviation for Archaeological Site Number Designation based on the Smithsonian Institution River Basin Survey of the 1940s".
  7. "Archaeological Excavation steps". University of Alabama.
  8. "Alabama County Abbreviation for Archaeological Site Number Designation".
  9. "Alaska Heritage Resources Survey". Alaska Department of Natural Resources.
  10. "Quadrangle map".
  11. "ASM Site Numbering and Quadrangle System". Arizona State Museum.
  12. "ASM Site Numbering and Quadrangle System".
  13. "Glossary of Frequently Used Terms". CaliforniaPrehistory.com.
  14. "What Does the Site Number Mean?". Crow Canyon Archaeological Center.
  15. "Survey Forms Instructions and Data Coordination Guidance". Delaware State Historic Preservation Office.
  16. "Guidelines for Survey Projects". Florida Division of Historical Resources.
  17. (July 2004). "Metadata for Archaeological Sites GIS Data Layer".
  18. "Site Forms". University of Georgia Anthropology Department.
  19. "State Inventory of Historic Places Attribute Definitions". Hawaii State Historic Preservation Division.
  20. "Register of Historic Places". Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources.
  21. Pollack, David. (August 19, 2004). "Caborn-Welborn: Constructing a New Society after the Angel Chiefdom Collapse". University Alabama Press.
  22. "How to Complete the Iowa Archaeological Site Record Form: A Guide for Nonprofessional Archaeologists". Office of the State Archaeologist.
  23. "Kansas County Abbreviations for Archeological Trinomials".
  24. (2010). "Louisiana Historic Resource Inventory Guidelines". Louisiana Division of Historic Preservation.
  25. "Archaeological Site Survey". Maryland Historic Trust.
  26. Beld, Scott. "Some Notes On Recording The Location Of Sites And Obtaining Site Numbers". Michigan Archaeological Society.
  27. "Trinomial Site Designations for MN Counties". University of Minnesota.
  28. "Mississippi Standards for Archaeological Practices". Mississippi Department of Archives and History.
  29. "The Montana Cultural Resource Annotated Bibliography System". Montana State Historic Preservation Office.
  30. "National Historic Preservation Act Archaeological Properties Section 106 Guidelines". Nebraska State Historic Preservation Office.
  31. "Guidelines and Standards for Archaeological Inventory". Bureau of Land Management: Nevada State Office.
  32. "New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources: Archaeological Inventory Site Form Manual".
  33. "Archaeological Investigations Standards and Guidelines". North Carolina Office of State Archaeology.
  34. "NDCRS Site Form Training Manual".
  35. "Ohio Archaeological Inventory Form Instruction Manual". Ohio Historic Preservation Office.
  36. "Instructions for Completing the Oklahoma Archaeological Site Survey Form". Oklahoma Archaeological Survey.
  37. "Oregon SHPO On-Line Site Form User Manual". Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.
  38. "Guidelines for Archaeological Investigations in Pennsylvania". Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office.
  39. "Curation, Loan, and Access Policy". [[South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology]].
  40. "South Dakota Architectural Survey Manual". [[South Dakota State Historic Preservation Office]].
  41. [[List of archaeological sites in Tennessee]]
  42. "Site Records". Texas Archaeological Research Laboratory.
  43. "Utah Archaeology Site Form Manual". Utah State History.
  44. "Guidelines for Conducting Archaeology in Vermont: Appendix I".
  45. "VCRIS User Guide". Virginia Department of Historic Resources.
  46. "Frequently asked questions on the Washington State Inventory of Cultural Resources".
  47. "Guidelines for Phase I, II, and III Archaeological Investigations and Technical Report Preparation". West Virginia Division of Culture and History.
  48. "A Guide to Wisconsin's Archaeological Inventory Forms". Wisconsin Historical Society.
  49. "File Search Fees and General Procedures". Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

archaeological-sites-in-the-united-statesunique-identifierssmithsonian-institution