Our History

The Illinois State Archaeological Survey (ISAS) is rooted in the University of Illinois’ century-long interest in the preservation and interpretation of the state's archaeological resources. 

U of I began investigating the state’s rich archaeological heritage in the 1920s, just as the discipline of archaeology was being professionalized. Archaeologists from the university played key roles in early studies of the Illinois River Valley and Cahokia, with Warren K. Moorehead persuading the state legislature to purchase the core of the Cahokia site. 

As federal laws began requiring greater protection of archaeological sites in the 1950s and 1960s, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) established a policy for the preservation of cultural properties found in proposed highway rights-of-way. In 1976, IDOT’s archaeology program formally affiliated with U of I under the Department of Anthropology. Then known as the Resource Investigation Program, or RIP, this ISAS precursor was directed by U of I Professor Charles Bareis, who worked with IDOT’s Chief Archaeologist John Walthall, PhD, on cultural resources investigation, excavation, mitigation, and preservation. RIP was later reconceptualized by Walthall as  the Illinois Transportation Archaeological Research Program (ITARP) with the arrival of a new director—Dr. Thomas Emerson. Subsequently, ITARP was rechristened as the Illinois State Archaeological Survey when it became a division of the interdisciplinary Prairie Research Institute.

Today ISAS builds on the foundation established over the past 100 years, continuing to investigate Illinois’ archaeological heritage, explore the big questions of global archaeology, and assist Illinoisans in expanding and improving the state’s transportation infrastructure, forest preserves, and park lands, all while preserving and interpreting cultural resources.