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Historical sources, raw material of history

Have you ever wondered how it is possible to know how the Egyptians dressed, what was the route of Alexander the Great in their conquests, or what beliefs they had first men ...? The question we should ask ourselves is: "How can we know the history?". The answer is simple: through the investigation of the historical sources .Next we bring you a brief explanation about the types of sources available, their use, and the problems that historians have to overcome when investigating them.

Historical sources, raw material of history

In order to know the past , historians have different elements that provide information about a particular moment in a society: historical sources .Practically any element that comes from a society of the past can provide us with useful information to know it, if it is studied correctly.Among the different historical sources that may exist We can highlight some:

· Written sources : official documents (made by governments) or private (letters, memoirs), newspapers, literary works.Literary sources are some of the most common.Throughout history, there has been written record of numerous facts that help us to know the past much better.When almost 5,000 years ago cuneiform writing and engravings on clay tablets appeared, we began to have data and written evidence of what was happening in a certain place.It is precisely the oldest written sources that have the most value, since they allow us to know things from other times that would otherwise be impossible to know.

· Graphic sources : works of art, photography, films, etc.Practically any artistic expression tells us something about the time it was created.Pictures, photographs, prints, etc.Visual artists (now also audiovisual) are one s of the great historians, in their own way.For example, hieroglyphs help us to know more about Ancient Egypt, the photographs of Robert Capa were one of the first great testimonies of what happened in the wars, and Nazi propaganda also it allows us to better know the neo-fascist ideology that made the world tremble.

Historical sources, raw material of history

· Monumental sources : monuments, buildings, archaeological remains of villages, etc.Archeology is responsible for the study of archaeological remains.But we can find excellent historical sources in any monument or building.

· Oral sources : stories of the protagonists, legends transmitted orally.We must bear in mind that historical sources never they are totally objective, and in the case of oral sources this statement is r eafirma, worth the redundancy.These sources are based primarily on the transmission of information orally, word of mouth, and it is likely that the more time has passed the more the original history has been modified.Anyway, you can always collate the oral sources with other types of sources.

· Natural sources : human remains, remains of animals or domestic plants, evidence of climatic changes.In this case, it is generally the Biology is responsible for the study of changes in flora and fauna, climate, biodiversity or ecosystems.The human being is not the only living being that populates the planet, and many others are also witnesses of the evolution that they have suffered the times.Also, also the geography itself, the orography of the land, helps explain historical contexts and their evolution to the present.

Keep in mind that the historical sources based on the ones made history present some problems.Many times they are scarce, or incomplete or damaged.

Historical sources, raw material of history

In many cases, what today is a historical source was created at the time with a specific intent (such as justifying an act of government or highlighting the figure of a ruler), and you have to know how to interpret its degree of truth (truthfulness)., the historical sources are never completely objective, and in many occasions there are clear differences between the stories of each other, generally, based on the consequences that the historical facts had for each town, nation or social group involved in them.

That is also why, to have a more accurate idea of ​​a specific historical context, the most appropriate is to have information from different sources, for example, several versions of written sources, but also to compare them with visual sources or oral.

Sometimes it happens that there are many sources on a subject or historical period, and the historian what you should do is select and concentrate on some, whatever you find n more important, leaving aside others.This is an important process, since separating the important information from the accessory is essential to get a more objective idea of ​​a particular historical context.

Once the historian has the historical source for its study, begins a long investigation or " criticism ", in which they are analyzed all possible aspects to determine that it is not a false element.

Other articles on historical knowledge

In History Today Online we have many other articles that you may find very interesting:

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