AIA Policies and Documents

1. AIA Congressional Charter (PDF)
The act of incorporation of the Archaeological Institute of America, approved by President Theodore Roosevelt on May 26, 1906.

2. Resolutions on the Importation of Antiquities
Resolution in support of the Draft UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property. Adopted by a vote of the AIA Council, December 30, 1970.

3. Resolution on the Acquisition of Antiquities by Museums
Adopted by vote of the Council of the AIA, December 30, 1973.

4. Resolution on the Presentation of Undocumented Antiquities at the AIA's Annual Meeting
Adopted by vote of the Council, December 30, 1973 and revised 2004.

5. 1973 Annual Meeting Presentation Policy (PDF)
In 1978 the editors of the American Journal of Archaeology (AJA) adapted the 1973 Annual Meeting Presentation Policy to apply to articles published in the AJA. See Editorial Statement, AJA 82 (1978), p. 1. The policy has been clarified in the AJA 86 (1982), pp. 1-2; 94 (1990), pp. 525-527; and, most recently, in N.J. Norman, "Editorial Policy on the Publication of Recently Acquired Antiquities," AJA 109 (2005), pp. 135-136.

6.  Code of Ethics
On December 29,1990 the AIA Council voted to adopt a Code of Ethics. The Code was amended at the Council meeting of December 29, 1997.

7. Regulations of the Archaeological Institute of America (PDF)
Adopted by Council on December 29, 1991, and last amended on January 8, 2010, the regulations of the AIA detail the governance and operations of the Institute.

8. Code of Professional Standards
A Code of Professional Standards applying to AIA's professional members was adopted by vote of the Council on December 29, 1994 and amended on December 29, 1997. Among other things, this Code states: "Professional archaeologists should adhere to the Guidelines of the AIA general Code of Ethics concerning illegal antiquities in their research and publication."

It should be noted that neither the general Code of Ethics nor the Code of Professional Standards constitute "rules" that the membership "must" follow. They are rather guidelines for ethical behavior and statements of responsibility to the archaeological record.

9. AIA Grievance Procedure (PDF)
The grievance procedure details the resolution of violations of the Code of Professional Standards by AIA Members.

For the AIA's involvement in current news, issues, and initiatives see Advocacy.