HERITAGE Introduction

 HERITAGE

Introduction

Inheritance is a man-made idea. We consider heritage to be something that is of culturally rich value and conceptually of great importance. But the question must be raised as to whether that is really what should happen. It is important to ask whether we should name our inheritance only a select few sectors that have been given special rights according to their outward appearances.
HERITAGE - This concept rejects certain things and chooses only certain things. While this choice is personal, it involves the exclusion of the weak and poor factors of a particular society, culture, race, or country, and naming only the factors that can be attributed rich as heritage.

But while this is not what the whole heritage should be, only these rich factors are preserved as heritage from the past.

Because ‘heritage’ is something we recognize, this is called a ‘created, created’ concept.

Inheritance can be pointed out as something similar, though not related to history, past, antiquity, etc. Inheritance depends on recognition and acceptance. When something, a place, an event, a custom, a tradition, etc., is claimed as heritage, the first thing that happens is recognition. Second is the general recognition of the heritage that was introduced. Accordingly, it appears that this was created by the individual.

Eg: - The Mahavamsa states that the social origin of Ceylon came from Vijaya. But the truth is that it is not. Before that there was a widespread culture here. But the Mahavamsa has made a choice. A culturally rich factor is there named as heritage.

In some lands, inheritance is defined as the inheritance of a father. (patrimony). Material factors are not considered matrimony.

Different categories of heritage can be identified

1. Heritage is cultural and natural.
Cultural - made by man (human intervention) (bone tools, stone tools, cultural landscape)
Natural - created by nature (habitation sites, cave arias)

2. Inheritance is both tangible and intangible.
Inheritance contains many things that can and cannot be grasped. Although a clay tool can be grasped, its production technology cannot be touched. Superstitions and beliefs also belong to the category of untouchable heritage. Such heritages associated with a particular craft, although inherent in those who practice it, are less likely to spread beyond them. Therefore, preserving the intangible heritage is a matter of great importance in terms of longevity. (All physical and non-physical can be called intangible)

3. Anthropology depends on material factors. The immaterial is spoken of here as the material. (Reconstruction of past culture using antiquities)

4. Dynamic and static objects are unique because they place great importance on context in reconstructing the past. The significance of a field depends on its context. When something is removed from the field and its context is damaged during conservation, it is left in its original place and conserved. (in-situ conservation). Regardless of the method of reporting, the context of the archeological field can never be restored (this is because excavation is a disaster).

5. Categorization, done by Peatar Hall - Heritage Cube. Here are three sides.

1. Identity levels of heritage
Heritage World heritage- Heritage with identities that go beyond a country
Heritage National heritage - National level heritage
Heritage Regional heritage - Heritage limited to certain areas
Heritage Local heritage - Village limited heritage
Heritage Family heritage - Family limited heritage
2. The owner of the inheritance
Ists Tourists - World Heritage Sites
Itors Visitors - Heritage (World Heritage)
· Collective owners - Collective (common) heritage
Vet Privet owners - Personal Heritage
3. Fields of Heritage
Ural Cultural landscapes - Planned and customized landscapes (religious and social areas such as Sigiriya, various parks, Anuradhapura
Ural Cultural Activities - Activities related to the culture such as the 'Dalada Perahera'
U Monuments - Monuments built to commemorate something, something
Ites Sites - Areas of archaeological and geological importance
· People - Human Heritage (Vedda People, Veteran Authors)

Thus, it can be roughly pointed out from the above description that there are many different aspects related to heritage.

 

M. suranga pushpakumara

 

Introduction to Archaeological Theory / Theories

Introduction to Archaeological Theory / Theories

Archeology

Is the study of past human behavior patterns and cultural changes, through material remains.

At various stages from the earliest stages of human evolution, specializations can be identified by their polar cultural factors. That is to say, the various materials used by man in those eras and which are still being discovered through excavations and explorations, which give information about the uses of human beings.

Ex: -

• Stone tools
•  Tools made from animal and fish bones
•  Oyster species used as food, grains, plant parts, animal remains
• Ash deposits found in excavations at fire sites.
• Factors in outdoor and cave-associated habitats
• Places where stone tools were prepared  (factory side)
• Agriculture Fields
• Drainage systems            
  

  According to the above definition, the primary focus of archeology is on

• Human behavior
• Cultural changes
• Material remains

         On the factors. Social change depends on these three factors. Not only this, with the help of fire you can do welding. These traits have the potential to define any society

       Theory is a hypothesis. It's a bit of a guess. Various theories / theories are used in archeology to facilitate interpretations. Archeology studies what we never know about human societies that existed much earlier than we are. We have to take a strong responsibility for the assumptions we can make there, and in an unfamiliar society, it is inevitable that different theories will be used here to interpret patterns of behavior different from ours. Prior to interpreting these assumptions to be true, scientific and rational methods must be used to analyze how material culture, along with patterns of human behavior, influenced cultural change. Archaeological theory is used for this purpose.

       Special attention is paid to "interpretation" in processes such as data collection and analysis. The use of assumptions in interpretation is inevitable. The peculiarity is that since we make interpretations about unknown facts in an unknown society, we can never draw conclusions there and we should only come to assumptions.

                              Data presented in research; It is possible to uncover, to some extent, old-fashioned facts based on assumptions on acceptance and rejection. Imagination is essential here. A researcher has the ability to make different ideas as hypotheses. But what matters is the ability of the presenter to prove those ideas. Evidence is essential to ensure that they are accurate.

Traditional Archeology and New Archeology

Traditional Archeology


Cree. This situation can be traced back to 1960.
Under this, more attention was paid to the presentation of details about the physical nature of antiquities.
Data collection was abundant
The main purpose was to sell antiquities to antiquities collectors.
So much attention was not paid to the soil layers during the excavations.
Curiosity and commercial purposes came first. (Curiosity of antiquities collectors and the profit they can make from selling them)
Much attention was paid only to the details of the antiquities.Traditional Archeology


Cree. This situation can be traced back to 1960.
Under this, more attention was paid to the presentation of details about the physical nature of antiquities.
Data collection was abundant
The main purpose was to sell antiquities to antiquities collectors.
So much attention was not paid to the soil layers during the excavations.
Curiosity and commercial purposes came first. (Curiosity of antiquities collectors and the profit they can make from selling them)
Much attention was paid only to the details of the antiquities.

New Archeology


Cree. Born after 1960.
(explanation) Explanations were given priority here.
Took place at the research level. (Excavation methods, photography, reporting, narration, use of antiquities)
There was a purpose
Metric map usage started
It happened according to formal methods
Model building descriptions occurred

        

       In this way, it is possible to understand how the field of archeology progressed, gradually moving away from the old traditions and towards the scientific basis.

                    The use of archeology in the study of archeology is a scientific process. Archeology discusses the past through the use of materials. Interpretation is key when using data that is being monitored using excavations. In the light of the above, the understanding of material factors is very important for the study of cultural changes and their interpretation.

                          Theory is used as a psychological substitute. That is, as a substitute for a hypothetical phenomenon. In interpreting a material of archaeological value, the context of the environment / soil layer in which it was deposited, i.e. the rest of the material around it, the shape of the soil layer, etc. must also be taken into account. The value of antiquities separated by context is very low and the environment around the object is paramount in the interpretation.

Ex: -
         When an excavation site is found, not only the stone tools but also the environment around them provide vital evidence. The context is especially important when describing the place where the manufacturing process took place, the scrap metal used in the processing of tools, the area where they were removed, the processing technology, etc.

         There are various theories related to archeology. They are used in various ways in the study as well as in the process of ancient social reconstruction. This situation is expected to be discussed further in future articles.

M.suranga pushpakumara