Parthenon Reflection
Neil Silberman was the speaker at the Nashville Parthenon, and he gave a very informative and intriguing lecture on archaeology. Not just archaeology however, he focused primarily on the idea of how we view it today, and how it is taken for granted. He spoke about how today in modern times we no longer look at a place for its historical value, but rather just for its experience and what it can offer us, not what we can learn from it. To this idea I could relate, and this is what stuck out the most to me in the lecture. Today, it’s not about going to Rome to see the history and learn about what happened there, but rather just going to say you went, and to say you’ve been there. It’s scary to think that we have lost so much value for places that hold such great historical meaning.
Neil also mentioned that today archeologists are not as careful about bringing things to the surface, but rather just want to dig to make a name for themselves. He related to the well-known film Indiana Jones, and how today that is what archeology has become; a treasure hunt. Communities decide to dig things up based on the economic factor and how it will benefit them, and how to make it appealing to tourists. All of this is true, and it is easy to see it all going on throughout the world. People like Neil Silberman are trying to stop this from happening, and are trying to preserve history from being lost forever.














