Historical records and their preservation

¶ … Records

Record keeping is an integral part of human civilization as it offers a way to physically store information for later use and through the years the art has advanced with technology. The invention of the printing press in 1445, allowed for mass production of texts making information easier and accessible and this greatly influenced human religion through sharing of ideas, communication as it was easier to print and psychology whereby information was judged using a critical approach. In this discussion though, we review how historical records were kept before the printing press while considering records left behind before the technology.

Before the printing press, only the noteworthy information was recorded because the art of recording was considered quite expensive then. For instance looking at the Mongolian history, a lot happened in their reign and it is evident that information had to be passed from one generation to another to ensure success in their activities. One of the ways that information was stored included written language that could be used to transcribe a number of languages within their domains for example "the square script" Sen & Sen, 1993.

Though the Mongol rulers passed regulations to persuade the public to use the new script it proved difficult and therefore its popularity was limited to official uses for example paper money. The Yuan Dynasty experienced the age of Chinese theater full of spectacles such as acrobats and colorful costumes which were very appealing. A special theater was set up in Beijing that supported a number of playwrights that promoted culture. The art of painting as well as artisans working in fine textiles and ceramics also flourished during the Mongols reign. Though they adopted many political structures and values of the people they conquered and governed as they did not abandon their own native culture hence by practicing their rituals they were able to preserve their traditional heritage for example they continued to wear their native costumes of leather and fur.

In the Delhi Sultanate, the Persians rising to throne implied spread of the language and it was soon the official language in India. Literary works began to have an Indian theme and one notable writer Amir Khusrav was inspired to write about the events around him and he inspired others to take up writing in Persia Sen & Sen, 1993(; Society, 1959)

. On the other hand Sanskrit continued being an important language of the time and many preferred these poets as they were more experienced and established and a center for learning was opened in North Bihar that preserved the culture and kept it alive.

Human histories in Western Africa were reconstructed from sources such as written accounts recorded by Arab scholars and travelers for example "Rihlar" by Battuta that gives a personal account of life in Mali. Oral histories including poems and songs gave accounts of past events. Archaeology though incomplete provides tangible evidence of earlier civilizations with information pertaining to the skills and lifestyles of these people for example the figurative sculptures within the region Bourgeois, 1987()

In the European high middle Ages, the case of the Black Death in England killed almost half a million people and those who survived were thought to have been favored by God and therefore avoided situations that enhanced the spread of the disease such as poor sanitation and this information was passed done by word of mouth from one generation to another. Scholars were guided by teachings from the church and actions that were considered to give rewards in heaven The Art of West African Kingdoms, 1987.