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.