The Archaeological Research Institute is the repository for archaeological materials and information recovered from the Roosevelt Archaeology Studies conducted from 1989 to 1998. As a repository, ARI provides the long-term care of archaeological materials, including artifacts, ecofacats, data, documents, and photographs recovered or generated as a result of these federally administered archaeological projects.
As a qualified federal repository for the care of federally owned and administered archaeological materials, ARI maintains a responsibility to preserve materials in conformance with applicable governmental policies and procedures (36 CFR Part 79: Curation of Federally-owned and Administered Archaeological Collections), and current professional standards of curation, data collection, data management, and access.
At ARI, the data and artifacts are curated in perpetuity, and are accessible for research, publication, exhibition, education, and other related purposes.
ARI maintains several collections of artifacts that have been formally "accessioned" or accepted under written repository agreements, along with data, documents and other supporting materials.
ARI curates more than 70,000 specimens from central Arizona, including materials from excavation conducted for the Bureau of Reclamation within the boundaries of Tonto National Forest in connection with the Central Arizona Project and related modification projects to the Roosevelt, Bartlett, and Horseshoe Dams.
Accessioned Projects include:
Roosevelt Platform Mound Study (conducted by Arizona State University)
Roosevelt Community Development Study (conducted by Desert Archaeology)
Roosevelt Rural Sites Study (conducted by Statistical Research)
Lower Verde Archaeological Project (conducted by Statistical Research