According to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the absence of historical knowledge creates pitfalls in human society, which puts importance on learning about what went on before modern civilization. Unearthing relics and secrets from past societies can give us a viewpoint on the evolution of mankind. It can also teach us quite a bit about a profession taken up by many people: Archaeology, or the study of human history or prehistory through the excavation of sites and the analysis of artifacts and other physical remains.
Every archaeological project starts with figuring out what needs to be found, dug up, or uncovered. In a brief article published by History.com, it is stated that the utterly infamous wreck of the RMS Titanic was finally located a shocking 73 years after it sank to the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. This means that it can take time, up to thousands of years, just for something to be found. With the assistance of history classes available at Northwest High School (NWHS), it is possible, likely even, to locate a site of historical significance and search for a piece of history within.
Another critical point in the practice of archaeology is theorizing and discussing the value of the remains once they are found. The School of Archaeology at the University of Oxford explains the importance of archaeological artifacts and why they need to be studied and learned from.
Several things can be learned about the building blocks of human behavior through these artifacts, and despite the startling evolution of mankind throughout the centuries, it is still possible to find something man has never learned before. All they need to do is take a good look.
Museums offer a treasure trove of historical information available to the general public. Places like the Mythos Museum of Oddities and Curiosities, located in Pontiac, or the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse in Mackinaw City, offer an educational tour through human history that provides the necessary facts and insights that would motivate students to pursue the art of history.
Lastly on the list of valuable reasons to pursue archaeology is the art of exploration and discovery. Despite the massive amount of research, documentation, and exploration of history already done, several mysteries and questions remain unanswered, and locations undiscovered. Live Science has identified 20 historical mysteries that have yet to be solved as of March 2024. Mysterious discoveries such as the Mary Celeste, an empty ship that drifted lonesome along the Atlantic Ocean, or the strangely missing fossils of Peking Man, an ancient hominin that would have provided great educational opportunities for the study of evolution.
With so much focus on the future, now is an excellent time to study the past and what lessons it can teach the modern civilization.
“Archaeology gives us the tools to examine and explain human behavior, understand how society functions, learn from the past and apply those lessons to the present, and analyze the drivers and implications of a changing world and how different countries, places, and cultures interact,” said University of Oxford Professor Shadreck Chirikure.
