Notwithstanding, even the brief glimpses afforded by such investigations can provide some insight into civilizations that existed hundreds or, in some cases, thousands of years earlier.
( Notwithstanding ( , ( ( ( even ( the ( brief glimpses ) ) ) ( afforded ( by ( such investigations ) ) ) ) ( ( can ( ( provide ( some insight ) ) ( into ( civilizations ( that ( ( existed ( ( ( hundreds or ) ( , ( ( in ( some cases ) ) , ) ) ) thousands ) ) ( of ( years earlier ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) ) ) )
(ROOT (S (ADVP (RB Notwithstanding)) (, ,) (NP (NP (RB even) (DT the) (JJ brief) (NNS glimpses)) (VP (VBN afforded) (PP (IN by) (NP (JJ such) (NNS investigations))))) (VP (MD can) (VP (VB provide) (NP (DT some) (NN insight)) (PP (IN into) (NP (NP (NNS civilizations)) (SBAR (WHNP (WDT that)) (S (VP (VBD existed) (NP (NP (NNS hundreds)) (CC or) (PRN (, ,) (PP (IN in) (NP (DT some) (NNS cases))) (, ,)) (NP (NNS thousands))) (PP (IN of) (ADVP (NP (NNS years)) (RBR earlier)))))))))) (. .)))
Insight about civilizations that existed in the past can be gleaned from these investigations.
( ( Insight ( about ( civilizations ( that ( existed ( in ( the past ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ( ( can ( be ( gleaned ( from ( these investigations ) ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (NP (NNP Insight)) (PP (IN about) (NP (NP (NNS civilizations)) (SBAR (WHNP (WDT that)) (S (VP (VBD existed) (PP (IN in) (NP (DT the) (NN past))))))))) (VP (MD can) (VP (VB be) (VP (VBN gleaned) (PP (IN from) (NP (DT these) (NNS investigations)))))) (. .)))