Researchers at the University of Tulsa are combining physics, engineering, computer science, conservation, and history to study centuries-old Indigenous tribute records and other manuscripts. Their work examines the materials, techniques, and hidden information preserved in objects created long before modern scientific tools existed.
The project shows how cultural preservation can open a door to discovery. Students and specialists from different fields are learning that an old document is not only something to protect and admire. It can also reveal how people made, used, and understood the world around them.