Preservation in the Public Interest

What do you think of when you hear the word "archeology?" Does a swashbuckling Indiana Jones, searching for long-lost artifacts in remote and exotic corners of the world, come to mind? While this image is exciting, Mr. Jones falls far short of capturing the true nature of American archeology and archeologists.

So, then, what is American archeology really about? Most archeology in the United States is public, which means that projects are sponsored by federal, tribal, state or local governments and involve sites that are on land managed by public agencies. American archeologists are truly devoted to protecting our nation's precious archeological resources and place great emphasis on sharing their work with the public.

This series of web features is inspired by a Harris poll conducted to assess Americans' understanding of archeology. Sponsored by some of America's top archeological organizations, the poll results indicated that people care deeply about archaeology and want to know more. That's where this series comes in.

Harris poll highlight: Most Americans believe that public archeology is critical to understanding, protecting, and celebrating our rich and diverse cultural heritage.

From the rock shelter's entrance, two men read the landscape with eyes developed over generations, forming topography and climate into mental roadmaps and almanacs that helps them decide whether to continue. They will need to remember this shelter in case the journey goes badly. The trek is slower with the elders along, but their knowledge is invaluable. They speak of a time when a body of water covered this very place.

Outside the sleet fades, leaving a glistening coat on budding branches. The men examine their spear points, touching up dulled edges by striking them with hammers made of animal horn and re-securing the sinew binding around the wooden hafts. They keep an eye to the ground for chert, stone for their weapons and tools. With a murmured agreement that the time has come, they douse the fire, gather the children, and move on. 

The new data challenge ideas of when the first people arrived and how they adapted to the Ice Age climate. Far from simply hunting big game, they survived in flexible ways, taking advantage of a range of resources. "A new consensus has emerged that in a rapidly changing and diverse environment, one eats what is available," says University of Massachusetts archeologist Dena Dincauze.

Despite the growing potential for discovery, this fragile record faces daunting challenges. Museums struggle to care for existing collections, availing them for public exhibits, scholars, Indian people, and others; public land managers strive to increase awareness as they confront the threats posed by erosion, development, casual collectors, and looters.

By providing a framework for nominating new landmarks, the study hopes to foster a focus on preserving and interpreting this legacy for today's Americans.