Archaeology is the scientific study of the material remains of past human life and activities. These include human artifacts from the very earliest stone tools to the man-made objects that are buried or thrown away in the present day: everything made by human beings—from simple tools to complex machines, from the earliest houses and temples and tombs to palaces, cathedrals, and pyramids. Archaeological investigations are a principal source of knowledge of prehistoric, ancient, and extinct cultures.
Watch the video and answer the questions related to the topic:
1- Do you think it is challenging about trying to understand the past through archaeology? Why?
2- Would you enjoy assisting on an archaeological dig? Why, or why not?
3- Imagine if, 500 years from now, a team of archaeologists discovered your home. What might they deduce about you, your behavior, and your way of life?
1- Do you think it is challenging about trying to understand the past through archaeology? Why?
Yes, it is a challenge, because discovering things from the past in a book or a story is not the same as doing it through Archeology. The discovery of objects, infrastructures and even people from the past are great and mysterious facts, which show you the truth of our culture and everything that now serves us in evolution in technology and globalization.
2- Would you enjoy assisting on an archaeological dig? Why, or why not?
Of course yes, because I have always loved this work that Archaeologists do, since I was a child I was interested in the things that were discovered, I greatly admire this scientific study of material remains of past lives and activities. Honestly, I would have liked to study this degree in Archeology, but I think it is a bit limited and expensive in Peru.
3- Imagine if, 500 years from now, a team of archaeologists discovered your home. What might they deduce about you, your behavior, and your way of life?
Well, you could discover that I was very passionate about art and decoration, as well as music and sports. You might find some remnants of my profession, such as books and pamphlets; I also really like fashion in clothing, footwear and handbags, so they would discover the megatrends of my time. Finally, I live on the sixth floor and my apartment is decorated in sober colors and minimalist fashion.
Jaime Leopoldo Castro Calderón
1.- Do you think it is challenging about trying to understand the past through archaeology? Why?
Investigating the past through archaeology presents a unique challenge compared to doing so by reading books or stories. The experience of discovering objects, infrastructure and even human remains from ancient times is immensely fascinating and full of mystery. These finds provide us with an authentic insight into our culture, revealing details that texts cannot capture as vividly. Moreover, these archaeological discoveries not only help us to better understand our past, but also influence our present, driving advances in technology and promoting globalisation. Through archaeology, we gain a tangible connection to our ancestors, which enriches our knowledge and contributes to the continued progress of humanity.
2.- Would you enjoy assisting on an archaeological dig? Why, or why not?
I have definitely always had a great admiration for the work that archaeologists do. Ever since I was a child, I have been fascinated by the discoveries they make and the profound impact they have on our understanding of the past. I greatly admire this scientific field that is dedicated to the study of the material remains of ancient life and activity. Archaeology has captured my interest as a researcher and its relevance to the development of our country. But I must point out that I agree with my colleagues that in Peru, the opportunities to study Archaeology are somewhat limited and the costs can be quite high, being an action that the State itself should support directly because of what the achievements of Archaeology mean for our cultural development.
3- Imagine if, 500 years from now, a team of archaeologists discovered your home. What might they deduce about you, your behavior, and your way of life?
If in the future someone were to look into my life, they might find that I am a person who likes to collect books on research methodology and horse sculptures which fascinate me as well as everything related to men’s perfumes and especially music to work with. In addition, I have a great interest in fashion, both in clothes and shoes, so researchers would find evidence of the main trends of my time. Therefore I have a large house which is full of family memories and now thinking about what the text is about I notice that I have many objects which have been handed down from my family and which have been passed down from generation to generation.
1- Do you think it is challenging about trying to understand the past through archaeology? Why?
It is a social science that investigates the past of human populations through their material vestiges. He was interested in learning how the lifestyles of people who had lived for thousands of years and generally did not leave written records of their activities, customs and beliefs. Archaeological materials constitute a valuable heritage and in many cases the only way to get to know societies very different from ours.
And it is a challenge, given that human beings have an inexhaustible anxiety to know and to find out about themselves, which pushes us to question every aspect of our nature and our origin. Searching for answers in the past; in what we have left behind, what no longer exists, hence the challenge for this discipline is to reconstruct something that does not exist. Considering also that the same event may lead to different readings by historians and archaeologists. It’s what the social sciences have. Explaining the past, whether recent or distant in time, has always been a very complicated task.
2- Would you enjoy assisting on an archaeological dig? Why, or why not?
The archaeological excavations are a very exciting experience because they uncover the material remains that evidence the human occupation of a specific area, allowing its interpretation.The mere fact of getting your hands dirty discovering the clues that will tell us how people were in the past and how it influences the present is already an encouraging adventure. You haven’t had the opportunity to participate is an excavation, but if I have done tours by huacas of Peru.
3- Imagine if, 500 years from now, a team of archaeologists discovered your home. What might they deduce about you, your behavior, and your way of life?
From the arrangement of objects and space, they could deduce that you were a family of few members. With a distribution of space suitable for a family atmosphere. What the most used space was the kitchen and the entertainment room.