Archaeological sites are irreplaceable windows into our past, containing treasures that tell the story of human civilization. However, these precious locations face constant threats from robbers and vandals who seek to profit from stealing or destroying cultural heritage. Traditional security measures often fall short, especially in remote locations where conventional surveillance is impractical or could damage the site itself.

Canterbury Cathedral was established in 597AD as England’s first cathedral, and for nearly fifteen centuries has played an important role in the life of the country. Today this masterpiece of English Gothic architecture it is not only the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican communion, but also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Upon hearing Pablo Picasso’s famous praise of art’s ability to clear “the dust of everyday life,” one’s thoughts could easily turn to one of Arizona’s newest landmarks, the Mesa Arts Center. Set proudly amidst the dust of the Sonoran Desert, the Mesa Arts Center is a striking complex of buildings, art installations, and public throughways, offering a rich blend of visual impressions in glass, water, stone, and metal, with splashes of vibrant color and metallic reflection.

At the Mesa Grande Cultural Park, history is revealed daily for the many archaeologists, historians, and visitors who explore the active excavation site each year. Though much of the ancient native culture of the American southwest has been lost to time and development, the Mesa Grande mound is a rare exception, preserved and protected through the years as the site of powerful cultural heritage.