Before finding out why is archaeology important, you must know what is archaeology. Archaeology is a very important field of study that concerns with the study of the human past. It is a subject matter that is similar to another humanities’ subject called history. However, while history is the study of human societies based upon facts and figures as recorded by historians, archaeology reveals information about the past with the help of diggings that are carried out experts at various sites of ancient civilizations. There are many who feel that archaeology does not provide any useful information. However, this article will prove that the study of archaeology is extremely useful in understanding the various aspects of the human past.
Why is Archaeology Important – Facts
Archaeology gives insights into human life as it happened long time ago
Our knowledge about our past is based upon knowledge through history that goes back to just a few centuries’ time. In fact, history can allow us to know events in the past only from the time when historians started to record events. However, if one is interested in knowing about the human past beyond historical facts and figures, it is only the artifacts dug from an archaeological site that can help him. The materials and artifacts used by human beings in ancient past help experts to reconstruct the way in which human beings lived and behaved in a particular civilization. If written history can tell us about life a few centuries ago, artifacts unearthed through archaeological excavations can reveal useful information about human life thousands and even millions of years ago. This means that archaeology can not only provide useful and accurate insight into human past and trace the rise and fall of various civilizations but also help us to learn from the mistakes of our ancient ancestors. This is a very important body of knowledge that can prove vital for our own survival.
Artifacts broaden our understanding of civilizations of the past
Archaeology makes a part of the broader field of study called anthropology that studies human past in its entirety. Archaeology allows us to get information with the help of material remains that is irrefutable evidence of how the humans lived in the ancient past. It increases our understanding of human interactions with material objects. Archaeology tells us how things happened in the distant past. If museums of the present collect and display artifacts from history, the fossils, pits, arrows, and other artifacts used by human beings in ancient past uncovered by archaeology are vaults that tell us all about humans lived in ancient past.
It provides missing links in human existence
Knowing about our past is very important to widen our understanding about our existence. It is also very important to know where we came from and how our ancestors lived and interacted with their surroundings long time ago. Archaeology gives us links to travel in time and know all about how human beings lived and survived a long time ago at a particular place. It would suffice to say that archaeology serves as a gateway to our past. It compliments history and backs its claims with the help of hard evidence in the form of artifacts.
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