About Antiquity

Antiquity is a certified woman-owned small business based in Olympia, Washington (DBE/WBE D2F0025825/W2F0025825). Antiquity Consulting strives to be a leader in promoting equity in the cultural resource management field and does not and shall not discriminate directly or indirectly on the basis of race, color, religion/creed, gender, gender expression, age, national origin/ancestry, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status in any of its activities or operations.

Washington Experience

Antiquity is uniquely qualified to survey, inventory, and assess impacts to cultural resources due to our staff’s long and diverse history of conducting intensive historical and archaeological research in Washington. Located in Olympia, we can quickly respond to local cultural resource concerns throughout western Washington. Our location supports easy access to local archival materials, meetings with local stakeholders and consulting parties, and fieldwork tasks.

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We are local experts in Thurston, Mason, Grays Harbor, Lewis, and Pierce County history, archaeology, and resource management protocols. Our highly qualified staff have extensive research experience in western Washington, and as such we are enthusiastic proponents of building comprehensive historic contexts and research programs which encourage management efficiency.

Availability

Antiquity understands the importance of working within narrow permitting and construction timelines. We understand that cultural resource issues are often a late component of project management, and we can assist you with understanding cultural resource management requirements, protocols, and timelines. We are adept at completing high-quality archaeological assessments with short notice. Most of Antiquity’s small projects are completed within 30 days of notice to proceed, but work can be expedited when necessary. 

Our Staff

Antiquity Consulting is run by Beth Mathews, a United States Secretary of the Interior qualified Archaeologist based in Olympia, Washington. Beth's archaeological experience covers most regions of Washington and parts of British Columbia, Alaska, Oregon, and Nevada.

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Beth has experience in all phases of cultural resource management: performing and supervising pedestrian survey, subsurface testing, site inventory, archaeological monitoring, research, mapping, and report production. She has worked on many types of projects in the cultural resource management field, including subdivision development, environmental conservation, road and bridge construction, storm water systems, natural gas pipeline maintenance, wind farm development, mineral mining, transmission lines, logging, and fuels management. 

Education:

MA Archaeology, Simon Fraser University; ​BA Anthropology, Western Washington University; ​AA Psychology, Foothill College

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Masters thesis: A Spatial Analysis of Early Holocene Sites in the Southern Columbia Plateau and Northern Great Basin of North America

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Research Interests:

Washington homesteads

Washington Territorial Period history

Northwest women's history

Early Holocene archaeology

Waterlogged and wetland archaeology

GIS and spatial analysis
Digital archaeology

Human ecology

Archaeobotany

Ethnohistory of the Northwest Coast,   Plateau, and Great Basin

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Memberships:

Society for American Archaeology

Society for Historical Archaeology

Washington State Historical Society

Association for Washington Archaeology

Mason County Historical Society

Lewis County Historical Society

Olympia Historical Society

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RPA #18073

Curriculum Vita

Michael V. Shong

Senior Archaeologist

Mike has directed large and diverse archaeological projects including survey, testing and data recovery efforts; supervised complex monitoring programs; co-authored hundreds of technical reports, monitoring plans, cultural resources assessments, and excavation permits; conducted historic research and artifact analysis; worked closely with County, State, and Federal agencies and Tribal nations during cultural resource management; and has presented many professional and public papers. With over 35 years of experience in cultural resource management in Washington, Mike is an expert in conducting efficient and through archaeological fieldwork.

​Research Interests:

Lithic reproduction and analysis

Prehistory, ethnohistory, and history of the Pacific Northwest

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Memberships:

Association for Washington Archaeology

Association of Oregon Archaeologists

Renton Historical Society

Maple Valley Historical Society