humanity many thousands of years.All this time our ancestors accumulated practical knowledge and experience, creating household objects and masterpieces of art.They made mistakes and made great discoveries.How do we know about their lives?Can we take something useful for themselves, to prevent slips in the present?
Of course, it is possible.Today there are many sciences studying material sources.Let us understand in detail.
Definition and classification
So the real sources - all material objects that reflect different aspects of life and human activities.All that characterizes the historical process taking place now or in the past, whether it's writing, the remnants of everyday objects or human remains can carry invaluable information for researchers.
Thus, we have identified the most extensive scope of this concept.Let us now deal with the classification for greater regularity.
Initially, the picture is quite simple: the era of savagery that the change of the barbarians, and after - the emergence of civilization.However, such a coherent classification broke the real sources of the Middle Ages.They're out of place wedged after stunning heyday of ancient states.
Today, researchers are more inclined to the next division of cultural monuments.There are three main groups (each of them has sub):
- Material sources, examples of which are given below.
- Fine monuments - drawings, photographs, symbols on the coins and stuff.
- Verbal.They are divided into oral and written.First studied ethnography.
features work properly
Material sources - a wide variety of monuments finds mention, songs and legends.How to deal with them and integrate into the system?
Such a problem is beyond any science or group of people.To develop such an extensive orientation in the course of development of society has created several disciplines with which we meet you on.
What methods are used when studying the real sources?To begin mention the human factor.Any result is always given through the prism of ideology researcher or author of a written document.Therefore, scientists often do not receive objective information, but only confirm or refute their guesses.
main method of working with sources is as follows: all the conclusions made only after studying the entire complex of finds, evidence of the facts.You can not do it out of context.The total picture is like a puzzle.Let's see what disciplines are engaged in such research.
Archaeology and Anthropology
The two most densely sciences work with real sources.The first one aims to understand the evolution of man and society, learn the process of becoming the main spheres of life from the beginning of time to the present day.
Anthropology investigates the man himself (race, traditions, culture and way of life).However, such a broad field of this science exists mainly in the countries of the Western world.In the CIS, the knowledge span several industries.Also involved here anthropology ethnography and archeology.
Specifically, this science in our understanding of the evolution and more involved in the time-spatial differences in physical type of man.So, let's get in order.
Archaeology - the science that studies real historical sources.Her areas of interest include several study groups:
- Settlements (here and also includes dwellings).They are divided into the fortified (often referred to as mounds) and unfortified (villages).This may be the city and the fortress, camp, or handicraft and agricultural settlements, armies marching camp and fortified castles.
Most of these sites are static, they are constantly (and are) in one place.However, parking and other temporary settlements often do not have the same location.Therefore, their detection is mainly a matter of chance.
- Mounds commonly found on the remains of trees and walls.In general, most of the work takes place in the archive archaeologist.There is information in a variety of written sources - from legends and epics to science intelligence reports.Tales, by the way, play a significant role.Troy was discovered by Heinrich Schliemann precisely because of their strict adherence to the "Iliad" of Homer.
- The next place where well-preserved material sources of history, strangely enough, are the burial.Under the layer of earth in the dry parts of the world some items may remain for thousands of years and keep their shape.Wetter place, of course, will destroy many materials.However, for example, some types of wood in water fossilized.
So, in the tombs, archaeologists found not only objects of everyday life of ancient people, but also the various elements that speak about the beliefs, rituals, social structure of society and so on.
- also monuments include the ritual places (shrines, temples) and workshops.If you know how to interpret the findings, you can get a lot of interesting and important information.
- last but not least, an important set of findings are random.Everything - from the treasures lost to accidental button - can tell professional researchers of the past.
As we have seen, most of the knowledge of ancient societies - real.Sources of information on the history of mankind reach of our time is not always safe and sound, so anthropologists and archaeologists often have to seek the assistance of restorers who help them to restore the original appearance of objects.
Ethnography
In the Soviet era, it was a separate science, but today it often is referred to the components of anthropology.She is studying (or rather, describes) peoples of the world.These works with anthropology - is not only real sources.Examples of intangible monuments - songs and oral legends.In many tribes there is simply no written language, and this information is transmitted from parents to children through word of mouth.
why anthropologists often do not work as researchers, as well as the collectors and keepers of the traditions of various peoples of the world.If you look at the record Spanish and Portuguese XV - XVI centuries, you will be surprised.It described many things and phenomena no longer exists.
tribes destroyed, assimilated (and thus lost one of the original cultures).As a result of globalization erased differences between nations.Even languages may disappear.And if they were not written, something about them, and no one will ever know.
what we offer ethnography?What are the real sources?Photos, audio songs, video rites, written fixation of different spheres of life of the people - all studied and compared.
Such descriptions began to do for a long time, but in the ancient world, they were more like a fairy tale with an incredible amount of speculation.It was only in the late Middle Ages there are researchers that map the life of ancient people and the life of remote tribes, such as the Indians, Australian aborigines, the Bushmen and other hunter-gatherers.
turns watching the life of the people standing on the stage "predtsivilizatsii" in the modern sense of the word, we can find out what was the relationship in the stone, copper, bronze and iron ages.
important point is that the school children dismantled real sources (examples).Grade 5 - it's time to explore the traditions of his people and the gradual transition to general information about the formation of mankind.
Epigraphics
second largest material from which we can draw on the knowledge of ancient people - it's written and drawn material sources - pictures, chronicles, memoirs, clay tablets, petroglyphs, hieroglyphs, birch bark.
enumerate the ways in which humanity may enjoy for storing information can be long.Without them we would not have a clue about the events of the past.This we can say with full confidence, as archaeological finds just can not give as much information as is contained in a single, even the shortest note.
One of the earliest studies extant, is a well-known "History" of Herodotus.It dates from the fifth century BC.One of the first memoir written Gaius Julius Caesar.Their name - "Notes on the Gallic War."
But in general, biography and memories are more characteristic of the Renaissance.
course, written records are very rich informative, however, has its drawbacks.
Firstly, the data therein relate to five thousand years of human stories high.What has been previously fixed or not, or not decoded.
second - bias and special attention to the higher strata with almost complete disregard of the common people.
third - the bulk of the ancient texts known to us in the form of transfers and rewritten copies.Originals unit.In addition, the new arrivals are expected.But archaeological material resources people find a regular basis.
The complex science, studying written records, includes a variety of disciplines.The first, which is worth mentioning - paleography.She has been collecting and deciphering ancient scripts, fonts, ways of writing.In general, without the efforts of its scientists have not been able to work with high quality texts.
Next Science - numismatics.It works with inscriptions on coins and banknotes (sub - Bonistics).Papyrology studying the information available in the papyrus scrolls.
However, the most reliable are considered domestic labels.They are short and do not contain boasting and exaggeration.
So we discussed with you sciences studying material sources, what it is, what kinds of monuments exist, how they work.Next, let's talk about the materials relating to the three most brilliant periods in the history of mankind - ancient Greece, Rome and the Middle Ages.
Written sources of ancient Greece
As we said above, information about the past is found in many artifacts.However, it is the most informative writing or recording.
antiquity in general and Greece in particular, marked by the emergence of scholars and researchers.The rudiments of most sciences, which successfully developed today have their roots precisely in this era.
So what are the real sources of the history of Greece are known to us?Just about everyday things we'll talk about later, but now plunge into the world of ancient Greek literature.
The oldest records are Hecataeus of Miletus.He was logograph, described the history and culture of the city and neighboring policies, which traveled.The second researcher was known to us Hellanicus Mitilensky.His works have reached us in fragmentary records of great historical value and do not carry.The works often logograph legend and fiction intertwine with reality, and they are difficult to separate.
first reliable historian Herodotus was.In the V century BC, he wrote a multi-volume work "History".They attempted to explain, because of what started the war between the Persians and the Greeks.To do this, he turns to the history of all the peoples who were part of the Empire data.
second in chronological order was Thucydides.In his works he tried to illuminate the causes, course and consequences of the Peloponnesian War.The merit of the Greek that he was not referring to "divine providence" to explain the reasons for what is happening, how Herodotus.He traveled to memorable places, policies, talking with participants and witnesses, which made it possible to write a truly scientific work.
Thus, the written material sources - is not only a hypothesis, ideological machinations or political propaganda.Among them are often found and thorough work.
Next we look at the archaeological sites of said period.
Material Culture of Greece
Today, the study of ancient countries is one of the leading areas of research in archeology.Many universities have begun to explore Greece at the end of the XIX century, and now work in the Balkans, the whole school involved in the development of techniques and in-depth research.
During this century was a great experience and factual material on the history of the Balkan policies, such as Delphi, Athens, Sparta, and the Malaysian coast of the island (Pergamon, Troy, Miletus).
Domestic scientists since the times of the Russian Empire seized of the cities of the northern Black Sea colonies.The best known such policies as Olvia, Panticapaeum, Chersonese, Tanais and others.
Over the years, research has been accumulated mass of material - coins, jewelry, weapons, inscriptions on the solid material (stone, clay, gems), the remains of buildings and so on.
All these real sources of the history of ancient Greece, let us imagine a way of life, life, lessons Greeks.We know about hunting and feasting, as such scenes often depicted on the vessels.As the coins can be seen on the exterior of some rulers, emblem of the city, between the policies.
seals and inscriptions on the vessels, houses, things are also a lot of talk about the era.
finds relating to the ancient world (Egypt, ancient state, Mesopotamia) - one of the most beautiful.After the fall of Rome launched the era of decline, when beauty is no longer valued, so the beginning of the Middle Ages was marked by more rude things.
Next we will talk about one of the strongest states of the ancient world - the Roman Empire.
Written sources of ancient Rome
If the Greeks were more inclined to philosophy, meditation, study, the Romans sought to military victories, conquests and holidays.No wonder the saying "bread and circuses" (namely their plebs demanded by emperors) survived to this day.
So this stern and warlike people left us many real sources.This city and road, household items and weapons, coins and jewelry.But all this would not give a hundredth part of what we know about Rome, if not written monuments of culture.
have at our disposal a variety of material, so researchers can thoroughly acquainted with most facets of Roman life.
first surviving records tell about the weather conditions, crops.They also contain hymns of the priests.In general, materials relating to the early history and extant, presented in poetic form.
Stsivolla Publius wrote "The Great Annals" in the amount of eighty books.Polybius and Diodorus of Sicily were noted works of forty volumes.But all surpassed Livy.He wrote a history of Rome from the base to its modernity.This work resulted in 142 books.
orators and poets, generals and philosophers - all tried to leave a memory of himself for posterity.
Today you will be able to virtually all social sectors to discover the influence that Roman had real power.Examples relate to the field of law, medicine, military affairs and so forth.
artefacts of ancient Rome
no less exciting material are archaeological finds made in all parts of the once vast empire.The space from the Atlantic Ocean to the east to Central Asia, Europe and North Africa - all this once within the boundaries of one state.
Material sources on the history of ancient Rome, we illustrate the era of great achievements, conquests and no less promiscuity, especially in large cities.Thanks
findings became known that Italy has been inhabited since the Paleolithic.Pile dwellings and parking with stone tools do not leave this single drop of doubt.
No less interesting layer of pre-Roman period - the era of the Etruscans.Suffice highly developed culture, media which were later conquered and assimilated by the Romans.
Golden plates with texts tell us that the Etruscans to maintain peaceful relations with the Greek city and Carthage.
Roman Forum, roads and aqueducts, and today is breathtaking, that we talk about the time when they were not in ruins ?!
This is just part of what we reveal the real sources of the past.
most famous monument, of course, are Pompeii.
