National parks are filled with beauty, abundant wildlife and ancient relics.
Artifacts are important to archaeologists because they can use their finds to learn more about the history of the place where they were found and the person who owned them.
If you come across an ancient artifact in a national park, leave it there and follow these procedures set out by the National Park Service:
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1. Do not touch or pick up
If you find artifacts in a national park, leave them there.
It is illegal to remove artifacts from any national park across the country.
Laws protecting artifacts in national parks have been enacted and enforced for many years.
If you find any man-made objects in a national park, leave them there and report the find to a park ranger. (Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images I Getty Images)
In 1906, Theodore Roosevelt signed the Antiquities Act. According to the National Park Service, it is the first national park in the nation to “provide general legal protection for cultural and natural resources of historic or scientific value on Federal lands.”
Subsequently, the Archaeological Resources Protection Act was enacted in 1979.
According to the National Park Service, the purpose of the act is “to ensure the protection of archaeological resources and sites on public lands and Indian reservations for the present and future benefit of the American people and to promote cooperation and the exchange of information among government agencies, the professional archaeological community, and individuals in possession of collections of archaeological resources and data acquired before October 31, 1979.”
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Consequences of violating the law can include imprisonment and fines.
Keep in mind that relics can extend beyond what typically comes to mind when thinking of relics.
According to National Geographic, artifacts include any object made by humans. This can include everything from jewelry to broken glass to coins to pottery shards.
Artifacts include everything from shards of pottery to well-preserved jewelry. (ASAAD NIAZI/AFP via Getty Images)
2. Photograph your findings and report them
If you come across an artifact while traveling through America's beautiful national parks, take a photo from a safe distance.
When taking photos, make sure your photo includes landmarks that indicate where you are in the park.
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Per National Park Service guidelines, photos should be used for editorial purposes only and should not be posted to social media.
If you don't have a phone to take pictures, you can also sketch what you find.
Taking photos of any artifacts you find will be helpful when reporting your find to a park ranger. (Michael Melford/Design Pix Editorial/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
3. Tell the park ranger what you found
After you have taken photos or made sketches of the artifacts, find a park ranger and tell them what you saw and where you saw it.
If you can't find a park ranger, you can also notify the national park by email.
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National park email addresses can be found on each park's online contact page.
