Studying Past Cultures

The National Park Service draws on science to conduct research into people and their cultures in the past. The best available science enables us to provide accurate interpretations of the past and ensure that the places evidencing those stories are preserved for as long as possible.

• Study of people and their cultures in the past through archeology and other cultural sciences provides information we cannot know any other way. Cultural sciences provide insight into the past, and inform our understanding of the future.
• Historic preservation draws on scientific methods to develop, test, and refine techniques to preserve cultural heritage. In fact, scientific testing has dramatically re-shaped best practices for preserving fragile materials and sites.
• Traditional knowledge held by long-term occupants of the land often complements Western science. Parks offer many opportunities to see how traditional knowledge and scientific knowledge together inform stewardship.