In the year 5000 ad...?

Question

....what assumtions will archaeologists make about the state of humankind as it is today?

Answer 1

One of the biggest problems is going to be that written information is going to be extremely difficult to find and extract, even if our current civilization continues for the next 3,000 years. We're already finding it difficult to access older information because it's stored in media that we no longer have the technology to access. You can't really watch a movie on Betamax right now, nor can you listen to an 8-track. We're working on saving information, but a lot of it is just going to be lost to time. If there is a broken line, it's going to be even harder. The computers of the future certainly wouldn't be able to read our CDs, if they even somehow miraculously survived that long. Technology changes, discs degrade, and paper rots. Anything that isn't chiseled in stone will probably be gone in a few thousand years unless people continue to transcribe it.

So everything they know of us will have to be determined from material remains. Plastic's gonna last a while, and trash dumps will be gold mines. They'll be able to see that we're technologically advanced and wealthy, but our history will largely be lost. Theoretically, they'll be able to figure out a fair amount about our daily lives, but there's a lot that will be mysterious. For instance, what will movie theatres look like to a society that has no access to our films or books and articles about movies? Who knows, but, knowing how people can be nowadays, they'll probably decide they're religious.

Answer 2

You've made an assumption in your question. The assumption is that there will be a cessation of continuity of civilization sometime in the next 3000 years, and that therefore facts about the 21st century will have to be uncovered by archaelogists rather than simply read in any high school history text. If civilization continues unabated, there will be no need for archaelogists to study our current century since everything neccessary to understand it will be available in records of all kinds.

Answer 3

You can only make assumptions if you have no real evidence. In 3000 years, Humans will have solved Genetics and stem-cell implants. This will enable us to interact with our Planet on a greater scale, possibly being able to survive all environments, including extremes.
We will be manipulating animals for our benefits, with stem-cell technology we will be able to search the Ocean bottoms, unaided with diving equipment. Cave systems will be like extended streets, taking us deep into the bowels of the Earth to search for raw materials that were once way out of reach.
As for exploring the Solar System, I think it will be possible by then because Humans will be interacting with chemicals and elements that were once highly poisonous. This will enable us to go to places like Mars as embryos, awaiting for the chemical compositions of the planet to be fed directly into the Genes. Established living quarters will encourage the embryos to grow rapidly, ready for their introduction to the outside Martian surface.
There will be no need for Archaeologists to assume anything.

Answer 4

Assumptions are made only when facts are not available. As modern civilization on earth is endeavoring to preserve it's own history, I think the history of human life on other planets might be more of archeological interests by 5000AD even if this earth exists still.

Answer 5

They will find a Starbucks on every corner. So they will think we were a high strung, neurotic bunch that did not mind paying $5 for a cup of coffee. What's that song....In the year 25 25 - if man is still alive....

Answer 6

They will think from the old catwalk footage that all of us were thin and wore ridiculous clothes,that our main preoccupation was waging wars to protect our oil supplies,that we did next to nothing about global warming except argue whether it was really happening,At the same time they will be impressed about how old fashioned we were about religion and science still believing in God and Darwinism.

Answer 7

there won't be a "5000 ad". Christ will be returning soon, probably within the next 10 years, and this planet is due for complete destruction and replacement.

Answer 8

I fear that the bell is already tolling and that there will be no one existent to ponder the events and societies of today.

Answer 9

They won't make assumptions because it has been so well filmed and documented.

Answer 10

Dodos who called themselves 'homo sapiens sapiens', which would be sadly relatively incorrect.