4 ms·
When living within any era, it is really hard to appreciate how much of the stuff we value (and what we don't) is just a cultural convention specific to that er
by nologic01 3y ago
When living within any era, it is really hard to appreciate how much of the stuff we value (and what we don't) is just a cultural convention specific to that era (and with a high degree of arbitrariness).
People historically would routinely recycle anything of value and reusability. What has survived from previous times is more or less by accident (too bulky, too hidden etc.)
The idea of trying to preserve historical artifacts seems to be entirely modern, but even that concept has evolved alot. In the 19th century people did not think twice about mutilating and removing pieces to remote museums or "restoring" sites purely speculatively.
- timeon 3y agoFirst Pompeii excavation was in 1693. Even medieval Christianity is based on preserving historical artifacts. On the other hand what you say about recycling and/or not preserving is true. And is happening even today. These two things goes parallel through history.
- eszed 3y agoYour point is well-taken, but there is: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ennigaldi-Nanna%27s_museum https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ennigaldi-Nanna%27s_museum It's one of my favorite archeological finds ever. I suspect that there have been people in every age who valued, preserved, and studied material remains of the past. At a broad social and cultural level, however, you are correct.
- jaza 3y agoThanks for that - never heard of Ennigaldi-Nanna's museum before. Amazing to think that ~2,500 years ago, they had artifacts on exhibit that were already ~1,500 years old at that time. And labels in three different languages - all they were missing was the audio guide!
- timeon 3y agoIt is not that strange - they were no cavemen. This was in Pythagoras days.