Friday, May 20, 2011

Archaeology

The past is dead, and so is every person in it. So why am I fascinated with history and all its tales? Do we learn its lessons or are we doomed to repeat mistakes because of human nature? Should I try to better them or just relax and do what I want?

I don’t know.


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I have always been fascinated by the past, ever since a junior school teacher showed us pictures of cave paintings. I trained as an archaeologist, I visit historic sites and even the books I write are set in years gone by. I guess it's just who I am.

Read more FFF55s at Mr Knowitall's Blog

18 comments:

Sandra Davies said...

Do you know anything of the provenance of this type of replacement headstone? I'd never seen them until we went to Leicestershire last year. I agree with you about the fascination of the past, but I am narrow-minded enough to be spurred mostly into investigating it in connection with my own family research. That said, it's taken me to some wonderful places ...

MorningAJ said...

Oddly, this is in Leicestershire (just - it's about a mile from the Notts border). Lots of churches have them round here and they all seem to be made of a stone that isn't very local. No idea why. I could try to find out though.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Anne .. I think we like to find out how and why things happen .. learning from the past - certainly some aspects could be learnt and I'm sure leaders and family members could and should be aware of lessons awaiting to be learnt ..

It would be interesting to see where your stone came from - another tale to tell .. like you I love the names on grave stones .. and the reasons for those names .. times change as we know ..

Cheers - Hilary

snafu said...

Things change subtly all the time and even in my lifetime, I can see that the past times that I experienced is now unknown to the younger generation and as each generation passes those times become part of history and have to be rediscovered. Regards learning from the past, my favourite quote is 'The only thing that we ever learn from history, is that no one ever learns from history.' I think it was Bernard Shaw who said that.

anthonynorth said...

I share your fascination with the past, too. We need to try to understand it to understand the present and ourselves.

Paula RC said...

I have spent over 25 years researching my family history and that was before the days of the internet. I have just put my family name in Ancestry.com just out of interest and cannot believe hold many people are laying claim to my ancestor when they have all the facts wrong. It makes me cross as they have just copied someone else who has it wrong.
Right now I'm going to climb down off my soapbox. I love history and I'm very proud of my Whitby North Yorkshire roots.

Brian Miller said...

to break free from our past we must try new ways, but the study of history allows us to do just that...

Claudia said...

i think the fascination comes from what they left and how they influenced and still influence our lives. i'm doing guided tours in basle and i'm fascinated by the history of this place and sometimes wish i could spend a few days back in 1300

G-Man said...

The past dictates our Future!
I'm the same way, although some say I still live in the past.
Loved your 55 AJ...
Thanks for playing, and have a Kick Ass Week-End

TALON said...

History is so intriguing. What was is as important, I believe, as what is.

A fabulous 55!

Anonymous said...

I don't think we need to better them. It's just that when we see the same things happened to people when they did certain things, we naturally avoid doing the most stupid of them because the outcome becomes predictable. Still leaves lots of room for our own mistakes.

Margaret said...

Hopefully we glean wisdom from learning about the past and apply it when we can. On my sidebar I have "Topics of Possible Interest" and Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah GA might interest you. ;) Enjoyed your 55!

hedgewitch said...

The past is just so much better in all ways than the present, I have to agree, maybe because we can fantasize it as we will, and don't have to actually live there. I identify with the love of it in your 55.

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

past is all perfumed and sweetened in memories.
the future is unknown,

apt 55.
love the insights.

Shanae Branham said...

I agree. History is a fascinating subject. There is so much we can learn or just enjoy. The thought that we came from those people is powerful.
Cheers,
Shanae
My Blog

Ellie Garratt said...

I definitely think it is in your DNA, but also the things that capture our imagination as children tend to stay with us for life. As children we have an unfettered approach to life and enjoyment of things. Perhaps as adults we are trying to recapture that youthful essence?

Ellie Garratt

Cad said...

The past is indeed a lead-in to the future with only the ever-shifting present moment separating them.

gautami tripathy said...

A thoughtful post...

hand in hand