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.
7-605: The Trudeau Landing site ( 16 WF 25 ), also known as Tunica Village and Trudeau , is an archaeological site in Tunica , unincorporated West Feliciana Parish , Louisiana , United States . It was once occupied by the Tunica tribe. Later European settlers developed it into the Trudeau Plantation. In the 1960s, a guard at the local Louisiana State Prison (Angola) and self-described treasure hunter dug up graves at
14-546: A museum to house the artifacts in Marksville, Louisiana . They are using it also as a conservation and education center to preserve their artifacts. Smithsonian trinomial 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
21-647: The artifacts were buried in graves, not abandoned, and so belonged to the Tunica tribe. A decade passed in the courts, but the ruling became a landmark in Native American history, and it helped lay the groundwork for new U.S. federal legislation, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act , passed in 1990. It was also used to prove the early heritage of the Tunica peoples, and helped them to gain state and federal recognition . The Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe built
28-453: The museum found that he did not have legal title to the items. In the 1970s, archaeologists excavated the site and uncovered large amounts of pottery, European trade goods, and other artifacts deposited as grave goods by the Tunica from 1731 to 1764 when they were in residence. The treasure-hunter sued the landowner to claim the artifacts were his in Carrier v. Bell . The court ruled that
35-467: The site. He removed hundreds of artifacts from the area, which had been deposited as grave goods with the more than 100 graves. The Tunica felt that he had stolen tribal heirlooms and desecrated the graves of their ancestors and were outraged at the violations. He tried to sell the artifacts to the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at Harvard University, but the transaction stalled when
42-569: 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. NN: One or two digit number, 1 though 16, identifying rectangles (15 ' USGS maps) in
49-583: 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
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