Human beings have a unique way of perceiving elements in archeology. It is in this regard that some scholars view this as an element of consciousness that defines human beings. The archeological imagination has since developed into a discipline as it enables people to develop meaningful insights about the past lives. An important aspect to note is that archeology is a dynamic field that has ever-changing perceptions and worldviews. According to the book Motel of the Mysteries, the author describes how future archeologists could use their themes in interpreting the past artifacts belonging to the 20 th century. Every person has their own form of artifact that not only makes sense but also has a unique meaning attached to it. However, future archeologists, due to the ever-dynamic nature of the profession, will most likely display newer ways of perceiving the past. Therefore, using an old garage in my neighborhood, I will explain how a future archeologist would interpret the artifacts in the site.
Documentation of the Artifacts
First, it remains crucial to appreciate that the garage was old and from my research, it had not been used for almost 50 years. Inside the structure were very many artifacts that I could hardly relate what they would represent today. First, rusty metals with fork-ends could be seen scattered everywhere. They have different sizes with some large with wider openings while others were small with narrower openings. According to my interpretation, they could have been used in either tying or loosening nuts. On the walls, there were large pipes that filled with soot inside. The pipes were metallic and somehow curved. Just like the rusty metals that I described previously, these pipes existed in different sizes with some longer than others. Old yellow plates with registration numbers were buried on the soil. On the plate, the colors of the national flag were painted. Although I did not know exactly what that was, in my mind, I thought that they could have been the registration number plates used at that particular time. Heavy metals with different shapes were all scattered inside the veteran garage. Some of the writings on these metals included "Ford" and "Chevrolet." The heavy metals had a point of entry and a point of exit. The inside of the metal was black, but on the outside, the brown color was probably due to the rust.
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As I moved inside the garage, I continued to meet several artifacts that confused me even more. I took note of two large handheld hammers with the head weighing approximately 20 kilograms. On a smaller room inside, I could see approximately 30 empty cans with different stain colors ranging from blue to yellow and black. Extra-large size gloves were on top of the shelves. All of them were black in color and torn on the side of the fingers. Three large newspaper stacks were evident on the third small room inside. The papers had already changed their color with some documenting the happenings in the year 1949. A majority were already shredded while those that were intact had nothing little that one could read. On the floor, a large cutting machine could be seen. On its thorough assessment, it had sharp blades with a firm handle. From the look of things, it could have been used in cutting the pieces of metals that were all over. Large stones arranged in fours were discernible from the inside. The rocks were not only huge but also had rough surfaces. From my deduction, I thought that the stones were used to restrain the movement of the vehicles once they were inside the garage. I also managed to pick some currency in the form of coins scattered haphazardly.
The Physical Characteristics of the Site
First, the site was old, and the building had holes on the roof with various parts of the walls having visible cracks. Although the door was still intact and close, it was easy to open it. Old vehicles occupied the vast majority of the space inside. However, these vehicles did not have any body parts and were largely the metallic body parts and the steering wheels. Plants had invaded the floor of the building, and it was bushy to an extent. As a result, some artifacts were buried on the ground with some half covered. As a result, it was difficult to determine the nature of these materials. The garage was huge, and the inside was segmented into four parts. The first part was the central area of operation, and the three other parts served as storage rooms as seen by the shelves. Since the roof had large holes, it let rain inside, and as a result, water had collected in several pools. The area was primarily associated and stood on its own. It was easy to observe that the users of the garage valued ventilations as the room had a total of 20 windows. On the outside, things were a little bit different. Although the vegetation had grown tall, what remained apparent is the rugged terrain leading up to the structure. Large and medium-sized stones were all over the entrance. As one walked on their way behind the building, it was apparent that the building had been reinforced by steel concrete.
Interpretation
As I had earlier mentioned, I had my own interpretation of the materials I saw in the garage. The rusty metallic instruments with a fork end could be used in tightening bolts or opening and closing screws. The large hammers could have been used in shaping vehicles whose shapes were distorted. The magazines on the inside could have functioned to protect the windows from paint during the painting process. The cans must have functioned in holding petrol or grease. The huge metals were probably the engines. The currency in the form of coins may be found its way into the garage as it was the preferred form of payment of services by the clients. The metallic pipes could have been the exhaust pipes and the yellow plates the registration numbers. Therefore, it would be accurate to conclude that all materials found here either found its way here as a part of the broken vehicle or material used by either the workers or the clients.
Necessary Archeological Methods
As I continued with my research, I also figured out some of the archeological methods that I could use in helping me interpret the site. I believe that surveying through direct observation or remote sensing could yield fruitful outcomes. The remote sensing will encompass several non-invasive methods such as aerial photography and lasers could prove essential. The process of excavation could also prove vital especially in finding the artifacts that are buried below the ground surface. Lastly, to know the actual date of some of the materials acquired from the garage, carbon dating would be an essential step.
In conclusion, it would be vital to appreciate some of the challenges that archeologists face in piecing their information together. Microscopic elements such as bacteria and other invisible aspects such as wind and earthquakes destroy critical artifacts and also dislocate them from their original positions. In some instances, the archeologist might require human subjects to assist them in filling the perceived blanks. However, they might either not get the correct people or entirely not get a subject who might have been there when the event happened.
