SNHU HUM 200: The Significance of Cultural Artifacts Presentation

This presentation delves into the importance of cultural artifacts in understanding human societies and their cultural backgrounds, particularly within the context of humanities. It highlights how artifacts differentiate between ancient and modern cultural outlooks, using Johannes Vermeer’s "The Milk...Read More

IMPORTANCE OF CULTURAL ATRIFACTS
Jazmine Augusma
Southern New Hampshire University
Humanities


 Cultural artifacts are tools, objects and buildings that
were created by human beings which tells about their
culture.
 Artifacts are important to understand the cultural
perspective of ancient people and their aesthetic
values.
 Artifacts are important in studying humanities
because the subject deals with the understanding of
human culture and society.
What are Cultural Artifacts?

 Cultural artifacts helps to differentiate between the
ancient and modern cultural outlook of human beings.
(Beckett & Conlogue, 2016)
 The painting of Johannes Vermeer named The Milkmaid is one
such example.
 Another example is the figure of Venus of Hohle Fels, made during
the Upper Palaeolithic Age.
Importance of Cultural Artifacts


 The painting was made in the 17th century,
approximately during the year 1660.
 It depicts a woman milking cows and storing them for
consumption.
 The caring nature of the woman is depicted in the
painting.
Johannes Vermeer’s The Milkmaid


.


 The figure is considered to be a part of the Upper
Paleolithic Age.
 The Venus of Hohle Fels was discovered by Nicholas J.
Conard.
 The sharp edges of the small figure represents the
patience and aesthetic perspective of the maker of the
figure.
 The figure is considered to be worn as an amulet.
The Venus of Hohle Fels


.


 Artifacts help me understand the level of imagination
and cultural point of view of ancient people.
 The chosen artifacts helped me understand the cultural
perspective of people from two different generations.
 Importance of artifacts has seen a decline in the
decline in the technological age.
 These two artifacts are a glimpse of the past and their
culture.
Artifacts are the Glimpse of the
Past.


 Humanities is the study of human societies and their
cultural background.
 Studying humanities helps to understand how culture
has evolved with the passing years.
 Humanities helps to think creatively and critically.
(Yow, 2014)
 The future can be molded in a better way by
understanding the social framework of the past.
Benefits of Studying
Humanities


 Humanities helps to understand the change in one’s
own culture.
 Humanities helps us to understand how modern
societies are a result of the ancient social
philosophies.
 For example; The ideas of the Functionalism by E.
Durkheim, reflects in the modern scenario in which
stability in all spheres of life, leads to a stability in
social life.
Social Importance of
Humanities

 Knowledge of the past, helps in building a better
future.
 Basic cultural principles are only a subject of mere
modification with the passing years.
 Artifacts are evidences of the social framework of
individuals living in different locations and
generations.
Essence of Humanities


Beckett, R. G., & Conlogue, G. J. (2016). Paleoimaging: field
applications for cultural remains and artifacts. CRC Press.
Franklin, N. R., & Habgood, P. J. (2015). Representation of
scarification on the Venus of Hohle Fels. Rock Art
Research, 32(2), 231.
Smith, R. (2015). Educational research: The importance of the
humanities. Educational Theory, 65(6), 739-754.
Vannini, P., Waskul, D., & Gottschalk, S. (2013). The senses in self,
society, and culture: A sociology of the senses. Routledge.
Yow, V. R. (2014). Recording oral history: A guide for the humanities
and social sciences. Rowman & Littlefield.
Reference

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