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The birth of history


anglepose

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That would only be recorded history. History itself is made all the time, whether or not anyone is there to record or even observe it.

 

Actually history began when humans began to write and record. That occurred circa 3,500 BCE in Mesopotamia and a little later in Egypt. Recorded history began less than 6,000 years ago.

 

Pre-history is the time before writing developed where anthropologists and archeologists study pre-historic human remains and their cultures.

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Why does it have to start with writen records. If you know someone lived in a cave at one point. It's that proof enough?

Because by definition historians study written records and archaeologists study the remains that are found in the cave. It is a convenient division. As long as we recognise it is an artificial division, and do not allow it to inhibit cross disciplinary investigations, then it is a fruitful division.
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Because by definition historians study written records and archaeologists study the remains that are found in the cave. It is a convenient division. As long as we recognise it is an artificial division, and do not allow it to inhibit cross disciplinary investigations, then it is a fruitful division.

 

Makes sense.

 

History - How, or atleast writin

Archeology - Where

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Some past groups had very scant written records also. That is why archeologists dig up those sites to gain information because some people could not write or did not record much information for us to gain knowledge.

 

Historians get information from all sorts of sources.

(Have you seen the series "Battlefield Detectives"?)

from art, Architecture, archeology, genes, artifacts, geology, ice-cores,tools etc

It seems pedantic to make a distinction between archeology and history based on writing

For us, History began about 5 billion years ago when something went "BANG"

For others . . ?

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  • 3 months later...

History refers to the history of mankind.It is born out of human expression.Other living forms may have their own unique ways of transmitting thier past into future.Anybody has some inputs on this Please enlighten.

History should consist of documenting experiences in some tangible form or passing it on to future generations orally.Therefore I believe all past is not history,but only the information passed on orally or in written form constitutes the subject matter of history.

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I donot know how to scientifically define history,but history as a discipline of study is something that is observed and communicated...If some great event happens in the past without the knowledge of anyone..it goes unreported and enters the untold history of mankind.

I am posting after a long time and nice to find a new history forum.

:)

 

 

 

 

I think your definition is too limited. It seems to imply that any events occurring prior to homosapien communication don't exist.

 

The concept which we describe as history is born out of our expression, yes, but the history itself is not.

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