Scope of Work
Phase IA archaeological sensitivity assessment and Phase IB intensive archacological investigation
East Hollis & Bridge Street Intersection Improvement Project NHDOT 16314
Nashua, New Hampshire
September 1, 2021
Independent Archaeological Consulting, LLC (IAC) proposes to complete a Phase IA archaeological
sensitivity assessment for the Intersection Improvement Project of East Hollis and Bridge Streets in Nashua,
New Hampshire. Pre-Contact Native American archaeology specialist Jacob Tumelaire, MA, RPA, and
Post-Contact archaeologist Jessica Cofelice, MA, RPA will serve as co-Principal Investigators for the
project. The pair has more than 10 years of experience in northern New England contract archaeology and
they both meet and exceed the Secretary of Interior 36-CFR-61 standards for professional archaeologists.
The project area falls within the Nashua-Hudson zone of asbestos disposal, with at least known three
asbestos disposal sites (ADS) within the boundaries of the study area. Prior to fieldwork, IAC will
coordinate with NHDES about asbestos hazards and instruct staff about the health risks from asbestos
exposure and how to detect potentially hazardous materials in the field.
The background research will comprise the review of known archaeological site files via NHDHR’s online
database (EMMIT), soil types, terrain, and surficial geology. Desktop review will also include historic
NHDOT project plans, particularly for 1970 construction of the bridge over the Merrimack River (NHDOT
C-7721). Ms. Cofelice will compare the 1970 existing conditions plans to historical atlases and maps to
consider the location of Post-Contact archacological features. [AC will conduct a field inspection as the
final component of the Phase IA assessment; if portions of the project area are found to be sensitive,
archaeologists will flag the locations for Dig Safe. IAC will prepare a report summarizing the results of the
Phase JA review prior to conducting any Phase IB testing.
At this juncture, we estimate that the Phase IB intensive archaeological investigation will comprise the hand
excavation of at least 30 shovel test pits, each measuring 0.5 m by 0.5 m, with four larger 1-m-x-1-m test
units to penetrate anticipated alluvial deposits. Archaeologists will maintain a buffer of a minimum of 20
m (66 ft) from known ADS locations, and if they encounter asbestos in testholes, they will halt excavation
and backfill. The Phase IB field effort will continue over the course of four days, with the assistance of
four archaeological technicians. IAC will augment the hand excavation with two days of mechanical
trenching with a small backhoe or excavator, operated by Mr. Tumelaire.
All artifacts, fieldnotes, photos, and other documentation will be returned to the IAC laboratory in Dover
for processing and analysis. IAC will catalog any recovered cultural materials and register any new
archaeological sites. The deliverable for the entire Phase IA-IB effort will be a single report incorporating
the Phase IA background research and the results from the Phase IB subsurface testing.
The New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources (NHDHR) has recently released guidelines for
artifact curation with stringent rules about artifact preparation and curation standards. The proposal
therefore includes time to contact landowners, prepare and package artifacts, complete required forms, and
compile fieldnotes per the NHDHR guidelines. We’ve also included $350.00 for curation costs, the price
set by NHDHR to receive a single box of artifacts for permanent curation. We’ve estimated these costs
based on expected artifact yield.
If you have any questions about the proposal, please do not hesitate to contact Jacob Tumelaire at
jtumelaire@iac-llc.net or by phone at 603-430-2970.
