The Archaeological Archives include documentation from each of the 58 counties in California, and from 16 counties in Nevada. Manuscripts consist of field survey and excavation records comprising typed or handwritten notes, photographs, sketch maps, drawings, permits, newspaper clippings, and correspondence from 1900 to the present. These are informal or unpublished University of California Archaeological Survey (UCAS) reports, Contributions of the Archaeological Research Facility, or other publications of the University of California, although many of these site reports and manuscripts formed the core for published documents through the university and elsewhere.

Materials in this collection are subject to copyright and may not be published or reproduced without permission. All requests for permission to quote must be submitted in writing to the museum's Director. If granted, permission for publication will be given on behalf of the Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology as the owner of the physical items. The researcher is still responsible for obtaining any necessary permissions of the copyright holder(s).

Original manuscripts are restricted and may not be viewed unless permission is granted by the museum's Director. Digital copies are available for viewing by appointment through the museum's Registrar. While the manuscripts contain material from the early part of the twentieth century to the present, they have only been in the museum's possession since 1990. Those manuscripts flagged with a single asterisk (*) are missing from the collection. We would be grateful to hear from anyone who can provide us with information about missing manuscripts. Please direct any information to the museum's Registrar. Materials designated as published or otherwise duplicated are flagged with double asterisks (**), and are not available through the Archaeological Archive. Researchers consulting manuscripts in the Archaeological Archives must adhere to restrictions cited in the California Environmental Quality Act, the National Environmental Protection Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, and the Archaeological Resource Protection Act.