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Unveiling History: Tools and Methods of Historians

Explore the methods and tools historians use to unravel the past, from ancient epigraphy to modern scholarship. Discover the significance of primary sources, inscriptions, and comparative studies in historical research.

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Unveiling History: Tools and Methods of Historians

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Presentation Transcript

  1. What does an historian do?

  2. Definition • What is history? • History is … • Herodotus’ Histories and historie

  3. Tools: Primary sources – texts and archaeological remains • The written word: Alphabets (abecedarium) and dialects • The “stuff” of philologists: texts • Historical • Poetic • Epic • Lyric – odes and hymns • Epinician – victory poems • Dramatic – tragedies and comedies • Private: curses, epitaphs, contracts • Public: laws (codes), treaties, decrees, dedications, inventories, voting tickets • Archaeological remains: non-written materials

  4. Tools: Primary sources – media • Papyrus • Parchment and the manuscript tradition • Stone • Metal • Perishable materials

  5. Methodology: ancient • Ancients and moderns do not use the same approach • Cause and effect was not applied systematically • “Great deeds by great men” the norm • Ancient historians focused on values and morals, politics and the affairs of the citizen

  6. Methodology: modern • Don’t reinvent the wheel: secondary sources, or scholarship • Ask questions • Interrogate evidence • Analyze evidence • Postulate solutions • Test solutions • Share with intellectual community and receive feedback and critiques • Use comparative data and studies

  7. Epigraphy: inscriptions • Definition and locales (ubiquitous!) • Ancient use: curses, epitaphs, contracts, laws, treaties, decrees, dedications, inventories, manumissions • Modern purpose: read and interpret • Challenges: not all extant; capital letters, almost no punctuation or word breaks • Analogy: unfinished crossword puzzle • White spaces = missing letters • Clues = knowledge

  8. The epigrapher’s skill set • Linguistics • Cultural content • Stylistic formulae • Dialectal differences • Alphabetical variations • Difference between error and new knowledge • Understanding of the stonemason’s craft • Patience!

  9. The epigrapher’s toolbox • Photographs, photographic equipment • Raking light • Magnifying glass • Rulers, measuring tapes, calipers • Eyes and fingers • Recording equipment: notebook, computer, PDA • Squeeze paper, water and brush

  10. A modern example Restore this text!

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