During my twenty-five years as an archaeologist, historic preservationist, and tribal liaison in the National Park Service (NPS), I’ve engaged in many different kinds of public archaeology. Collaborative archaeology or anthropology and archaeological education are two forms of particular interest to me. I’ve also striven to do ethnographic work with Indigenous communities that benefit their interests and attempts to heal past wounds through collaboration and sharing. I am still working to develop an understanding of the kinds of archaeological education and interpretation that most impacts the public and can change perspectives on the cultural heritage resources we preserve in the National Park system and on aspects of our nation’s history often left out of school curriculum. All of these endeavors fit under the umbrella of public archaeology in the twenty-first century, which in the broadest sense is archaeology that considers, involves, or engages the public.
Public archaeology in the United...
University of California Press