Why do many archaeologists feel that oral traditions are not as reliable a source of information as archaeological data?

a. oral traditions can change over time; the older the events described, the more likely that elements were dropped or added.

b. oral traditions can be selective in what they remember, altering the nature or sequence of events over time to suit particular political needs.

c. oral traditions often encode cultural and religious knowledge that is not rooted in the material world, and that therefore cannot be scientifically evaluated.

d. all of the above?

Question

Talia Bautista

Social Studies

14 November, 09:15

Why do many archaeologists feel that oral traditions are not as reliable a source of information as archaeological data?

a. oral traditions can change over time; the older the events described, the more likely that elements were dropped or added.

b. oral traditions can be selective in what they remember, altering the nature or sequence of events over time to suit particular political needs.

c. oral traditions often encode cultural and religious knowledge that is not rooted in the material world, and that therefore cannot be scientifically evaluated.

d. all of the above?

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Answers (1)

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Mara Horton · Answer 1

The answer is d) All of the above. Like playing the 'telephone game', when one person passes information on to another the information can be distorted by things like their ability to remember it clearly and their own feelings about the content. They may also add or take away from the content based on their own life experiences and feelings.