Question

What are the advantages and disadvantages of archaeological and literary sources?

Answer 1

Hint: Archaeology's function becomes critical. Archaeology may make a significant contribution by uncovering cultural practices and artefacts that might aid in the identification of historical misconceptions. Religious, secular, and foreign accounts are the three types of literary sources.

Complete answer:
Archaeology – The study of human activity via the recovery and examination of material culture is known as archaeology. Although archaeology is frequently thought of as a branch of socio-cultural anthropology, archaeologists also use biological, geological, and environmental systems in their research. Artefacts, monuments, coinage, and inscriptions are examples of archaeological sources.

Advantages and disadvantages of archaeological sources –

Advantage	Disadvantage
It is one of the most common methods for recovering evidence and knowledge about our ancient past that has been buried for a long time. Through the sites of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, archaeologists learned that a highly complex and developed civilization lived in our nation.	Climate plays an important part in the destruction of archaeological artefacts since humid climate causes them to rust or become difficult to detect, resulting in only structures composed of burnt bricks and stones being discovered.
Because archaeology deals with physical relics, it has a level of legitimacy that no other human science can match.	Archaeological excavations are quite costly because if useful evidence of the past is found in part of the region, the entire region must be investigated or dug.
Several monuments have been unearthed and preserved with the help of archaeologists in order to better comprehend our country's cultural history.	Archaeology necessitates the use of specialists. In our country, archaeologists are in short supply.
It has the unique capacity to reach back to the earliest periods of human history and pull the previously unknown out of the mists of time.	It can be difficult to determine where one can discover fossils at times.

Literary sources - The information gathered in recorded forms that reveal the essence of ancient civilization is referred to as literary sources. In impression, automated, and visual compositions, sources include information such as journals, letters, novels, and investigation reports. Manuscripts, or written records from the past, are examples of literary sources.

Advantages and disadvantages of literary sources –

Advantage	Disadvantage
Can tell you about any historical event or, at the very least, give you a hint.	It could be a Metaphor or a Satire. As a result, all people and events should be carefully observed and evaluated.
Can determine the exact or possible timeframe of a historical event.	It is important to be cautious when responding to the evidence of any conceivable historical event, as it may be partially prejudiced or not.
It is critical to understand the culture, language, literary ability, ideology, and other factors of the time period in which the piece was produced. -and so on.	It May contain dumb, ridiculous, and unimaginable errors/falsehoods; since ancient literary manuscripts frequently contain such flaws, which may have quietly crept into it over a lengthy period of time. -and so on.

Note: Diaries, letters, interviews, oral histories, photographs, newspaper articles, government records, poems, novels, plays, and music are all examples of primary sources. The historical study relies heavily on the gathering and study of original sources.