考古学(Archaeology)

详细内容

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archaeologyisasourceofhistory,notjustabumbleauxiliarydiscipline.archaeologicaldataarehistoricaldocumentsintheirownright,notmereillustrationstowrittentexts,justasmuchasanyotherhistorian,anarchaeologiststudiesandtriestoreconstitutetheprocessthathascreatedthehumanworldinwhichwelive-andusourselvesinsofarasweareeachcreaturesofourageandsocialenvironment.archaeologicaldataareallchangesinthematerialworldresultingfromhumanactionor,moresuinctly,thefossilizedresultsofhumanbehavior.thesumtotaloftheseconstituteswhatmaybecalledthearchaeologicalrecord.thisrecordexhibitscertainpeculiaritiesanddeficienciestheconsequencesofwhichproducearathersuperficialcontrastbetweenarchaeologicalhistoryandthemorefamiliarkindbaseduponwrittenrecords.notallhumanbehaviorfossilizes.thewordsiutterandyouhearasvibrationsintheairarecertainlyhumanchangesinthematerialworldandmaybeofgreathistoricalsignificance.yettheyleavenosortoftraceinthearchaeologicalrecordsunlesstheyarecapturedbyadictaphoneorwrittendownbyaclerk.themovementoftroopsonthebattlefieldmay"changethecourseofhistory,"butthisisequallyephemeralfromthearchaeologist＇sstandpoint.whatisperhapsworse,mostanicmaterialsareperishable.everythingmadeofwood,hide,wool,linen,grass,hair,andsimilarmaterialswilldecayandvanishindustinafewyearsorcenturies,saveunderveryexceptionalconditions.inarelativelybriefperiodthearchaeologicalrecordisreducetomerescrapsofstone,bone,glass,metal,andearthenware.stillmodernarchaeology,byapplyingappropriatetechniquesandparativemethods,aidedbyafewluckyfindsfrompeat-bogs,deserts,andfrozensoils,isabletofillupagooddealofthegap.