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What is History?
History is a chronological record of events, and an explanation to their causes and effects.
As well as attempt to understand ourselves by understanding the past.
History is not a factual body of knowledge. Although facts are certainly
associated with past events and plays a prominent role in determining what
happened, history is decisively interpretative. Despite how much we, as a society, document events
there will never be a comprehensive record of any particular past event. Furthermore, unless the individual writes his
or her memoirs, motives and perceptions of those involved with history making events are often difficult to know.
There is also, of course, the author writing the history book itself which is based on his or her particular interpretation, as well as the length of time between the event and its actual recording. Although there is a vast, collective library of historical archives across the world, much of history remains unsolved.
Prehistory is not a time when mankind did not exist. There is a popular association of prehistory with the geologic age of the dinosaurs, which is simply not the case. With the invention of the word prehistory in 1865 by Sir Daniel Wilson, in his book The Prehistory of Scotland, history has taken on a slightly different meaning. In most contexts it refers to the time since mankind started to record and explain events, roughly since 3000 BC.
Prehistory simply refers to the time before then when the recording events did not occur. It has been demonstrated that mankind has been around for at least 100,000 years, and possibly, some researchers suggest, as long as 2,000,000 years. Many oral traditions and myths have their origins before the advent of writing.
There exists a scholastic system that writes and distributes textbooks for institutions of learning, which we are educated in from grade school through college. What is taught is a consensus, and can be referred to as the prevailing academic theory or paradigm.
Other historical views, particularly those that depart or disagree from prevailing theories, are considered 'alternative.' However, there is no such curriculum or discipline as alternative history. Alternative views are actually a part of how research works. New ideas are often put forth in order to explain new or re-evaluated evidence. Alternative theories that fail to persuade people or are easily disproved are discarded. Those that have merit invite further research.
Since there is considerable difficulty in discovering what happened during remote times, ancient history is often the focus of such alternative theories, which range from ancient alien visitations to the survivors of Atlantis as the progenitors of civilization. The interpretation, not the evidence, always seems to be the point of controversy.
Ancient history can be thought of as a wobbling house resting on the shifting sands of evidence and interpretation;
it’s mostly theory, part fact, sailing uneasily in uncharted waters somewhere between science and speculation.
It is up to all of us to review the facts, the science, and the stories to determine where they intersect.
Perhaps then, each of us may find answers to our questions.
