The New Childrens Encyclopedia

184

Tales from the past

History is the study of things that have happened

in the past. This can be anything from the earliest

people to events of the last few years. A little like

detectives searching for clues, historians look at

evidence from the past known as primary sources.

Bronze age

pendant

HISTORY AND POLITICS

O What is the object made from?:

The artifact shows the materials

available and the skills of the craftsmen.

O Who would have used the object?:

The artifact may give clues about the

status of people in society.

O What was the object used for?:

Historians may be able to figure out

what the culture and the way of life for

the people was like from the artifact.

STUDYING ARTIFACTS

Ancient

Greek vase

10th century BCE

statue from the

Middle East

Digging for clues The work

of archeologists help historians

to know more about early

people. During their

excavations of a site,

archeologists uncover and

study early buildings and find

and examine artifacts—objects

made by people from the past.

Archeology site After doing

an aerial and surface survey of

the area, the archeologists

begin excavating the site,

removing the ground layer by

layer and recording any

discoveries.

 MAYAN RUINS The Maya

civilization of central America was

successful between 200—900 CE.

Archeologists have found many

steep-sided pyramids with steps

leading up to a temple where

human sacrifices took place.