This course offers students and cavers interested in archaeology the opportunity to explore the diverse ways Native Americans and historical groups used caves. Over the week-long class, students participate in field trips to a variety of sites, both above and below ground. Five trips are to remote cave locations, while four focus on cave entrances and rockshelters, connecting the underground environment to the world above. Through these immersive experiences, students gain practical skills in archaeological cave research and develop a deeper appreciation for the cultural and historical importance of caves. Students learn about the many cave resources utilized by people in the past, such as chert (a type of rock used for making stone tools), gypsum (calcium carbonate), mineral deposits such as Glauber’s salt, and calcium nitrate (a compound important for making gunpowder). They also study the technologies involved in mining these cave minerals. Caves are discussed as both natural features used by past peoples and as sites with cosmological significance, including their roles as human burial places, in rock art traditions, and other ritual practices. By the end of the course, students will be able to identify key cave resources, understand their historical significance, and explain how caves were integrated into native belief systems.