Women, Past and Present

Not long ago, women struggled to carve a place for themselves in archeology. Exercising perseverance and pluck, women blazed trails into niche techniques and subject-area expertise. They went where men could not and asked questions unknown to archeology at the time. Women challenged common archeological interpretations and their use to support a status quo.

Women also broke new ground by highlighting women's stories from the past. Women in history often played a silent role but made a big impact. Archeology breathes life into who they were, and those they cared for. It revealed aspects of their lives such as aesthetics, beliefs, play, and work. Archeology -- and women's influence in it -- helps us to view the past from perspectives that cannot be known any other way.

Explore the significance of women in archeology, past and present:

Women's History
Historic Women of the National Park Service