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THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HISTORY AND OTHER DISCIPLINES
INTRODUCTION
History, according to E. H. Carr, is a never-ending conversation between the present and the past in
which the historian interacts with his data. Furthermore, Prof. Renier emphasized the social
importance of history, dening history as "societal memory." As a result, history is the account of
previous events that have shaped humanity's fate. History, according to Georey Barraclough, is "an
endeavour to uncover the major things of the past based on fragmented data." As a result of the
preceding, history is concerned not only with the past but also with key aspects of man's evolution.
As stated in the denition of history, the story of a people or society shall not be forgotten by posterity,
history adds to man's knowledge of man, history aids in the protection and preservation of a nation's
traditional and cultural values, and most importantly, history aids in grasping relationships with the
past. Professor Ademola-Ajayi, on the other hand, believes that history's importance resides in the fact
that its knowledge aids and directs in current conditions, not via prophecies but by plausible forecasts.
It is important to note that, History is the study of numerous aspects of human existence, and it is
closely related to other social sciences that examine particular aspects of human existence.
While historians adhere to the topic of the discussion in historical writing, they also accept ideas and
methodologies from other areas for analyzing, organizing, and interpreting events. Archaeology,
Economics, Political Science, Sociology, Geography, Anthropology, Linguistics, Psychology, and
Palaeontology will all have an impact.
HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY
Archaeology forms a major source of historical research in the reconstruction and interpretation of
past events and forms part of primary sources of data. Archaeology is the study of the material remains
of peoples themselves, dwellings i.e. caves, a fortication used for protection etc. In a broader sense,
archaeology is the scientic study of the remnants of the past, such as - The ancient site, relics,
monuments, coins, inscriptions and other artefacts which help in reconstructing history in a most
plausible manner.
Archaeology aids in the investigation of prehistoric studies. The goal of this eld is to recreate the
behavioural patterns and material culture of the people whose skeletons are being excavated.
Archaeology's major contribution to historical study or writing is that it has aided historians in tracing
the origins and developmental phases of man, particularly in separating man from other primates such
as gorillas, orang-utans, and so on. From the nding of Dryopithecus to Ramapithecus to
Australopithecus robustus and Africanus (discovered in Olduvai GorgeLae tooli, Koobifora, and other
producers of the OLDOWAN stone) to Homo-Erectus to Homo-Erectus to Homo-Erectus to
Homo-Erectus to Homo-Erectus to Homo-Erectus to Homo-Erectus.
Aerial photography, reconnaissance survey, and geophysical survey are some of the techniques used by
archaeologists to identify the location of sites. Another advantage of combining history and
archaeology is that it provides a solid historical framework into which object evidence can be tted and
compared. The intervention of archaeology in the attempt to get close actual dates of occurrence
through the science of Radio-Carbon dating cannot be overlooked, even if these dates are indenite,
they have been essential in determining years of historical reconstruction (e.g. the use of ± 200 AD)
History is more focused on the economic, social, and political elements of man, whereas archaeology is
more interested in the economic and social aspects. Unlike historical research, which is focused on oral
and written tradition, archaeological research is based on scientic observation. Archaeology has
shown to be the most eective discipline in determining the various phases of humankind when
interacting with history (Stone Age, Iron age and Neolithic age). However, in accolades to this eld, it
has helped Historians reconstruct the History of the Benin People, Igbo Ukwu and other ancient
Histories which could have been lost.
A major aw of this source of historical writing is that information derived from it are often not
uniform, this is because the information available is sometimes accidentally discovered either in the
course of farming or in the course of digging, this, in turn, leads to generalisation and which doesn’t
reect the event that had taken place in restricted areas.
HISTORY AND PALEOGRAPHY
Palaeography can be conceptualized as the study of ancient alphabetical characters. The alphabet's
form changes depending on the period and area. Describes how each letter has changed across time and
space. Paleographers are unable to write in the realms of time and space.
A paleographer cannot only read old manuscripts or inscriptions but also date them and he can tell us
the history of these characters and how they have changed over a period. In the past, as also today,
education had the eect of understanding the shape of letters used in each centre of culture. For
example, in India, the problem is still more complicated with a score of dierent languages and
dierent scripts in use.
Paleography also includes the abbreviations employed by scribes who were in high demand prior to the
introduction of printing. The abbreviations used in manuscripts are included in dictionaries. It
encourages mental acuity and the development of empirical abilities. It improves the capacity to deal
with challenges as they arise when solving puzzles and issues. Using computer technology, a group of
researchers is attempting to interpret the writing of the Indus valley civilisation.
HISTORY AND PALAEONTOLOGY
The study of what fossils teach us about the past, evolution, and our role in the world as humans is
known as palaeontology. This science aids in the study of prehistoric human and proto-human fossils
through human palaeontology (PalaeoAnthropology), which is supported by genetic science, a branch
of biological science that aids in genetic analysis, which is done through genetic and biological
examination in tracing and ascertaining the trend of a family, group, or society.
HISTORY AND PSYCHOLOGY
The scientic study of the mind and behaviour is known as psychology. Psychology, like history, is a
multidimensional science with several subelds of study, including human development, sports,
health, clinical, social behaviour, and cognitive process. Some elements look at the impact of culture
and society, while others look at the function of evolution in historical research.
Psychology is viewed as one facet of a social condition that may be described in historical terms. In
analyzing man's and societies' motives and behaviours, psychology supports history. The importance of
psychology in historical biography and autobiography is undeniable.
The inuence of psychology on history can be seen in the fact that in the past, historians focused on
the origins of war and ignored the consequences of war; now, historians are studying the consequences
and impacts of war, and can also help determine the role of the masses in such wars or revolutions,
thanks to the inuence of psychology. The eects of events such as war and natural disasters on the
citizenry of a geographical place are best understood via psycho-analysis of the impacted and
neighbouring communities' populations.
HISTORY AND SIGILLOGRAPHY:
The term "Sigillography" comes from the word "Sigil," which meaning "seal" or "signature." It can also
refer to a "Mark" or a symbol that is said to have occult power. In history, it has referred to the study of
seals and can be considered a diplomatic department.
It's also known as "Sphragistic," which refers to the study of engraved seals, such as their legitimacy, age,
history, and content. Because of the writing utilized, the Indus Valley civilization's seals have remained
undeciphered. Seals were extremely crucial in the administration of Medieval India, and without them,
no document was legitimate. They are extremely useful in providing us with information such as the
ruler's name, title, the size of his kingdom, the date of the document, the religion or dynasty to which
he belonged, and the period and era of the issuance. These seals also reveal the period's degree of
cultural development.
HISTORY AND GRAPHOLOGY
Graphology is the science of assessing a person's character by analyzing his handwriting. According to
research, there is an undeniable link between a person's character and his handwriting, which reveals
what kind of person he is. When a graphologist examines a person's handwriting, he should look at a
few factors such as the material used for the writing, the writer's location and position, and the
circumstances in which the writing was done.
HISTORY AND ETHICS
History and ethics are inextricably linked. Although a real historian is not required to make unique and
sensitive judgements on historical events and individuals, he must be aware of the ethical principles
that impacted people's behaviour in the past. There was probably no accurate ethical science in the
past, and most of what came after were only a reection of the prejudices, partiality, and complexity of
the many writers.
Scholars such as Stephen, Duprat, and Dewey have attempted to develop an ethical theory based on
biology, psychology, and sociology in recent years. There has developed a science of behaviour. To have
a broader perspective on the topic, a historian must grasp and grasp this discipline of ethics.
HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY
History and geography are widely acknowledged to be inextricably linked. In reality, it would be almost
impossible to study some elds of history without at least a fundamental understanding of geography;
for example, diplomatic or military history cannot be studied without a basic understanding of the
region's topography. One of history's eyes is geography, with the other being chronology. The accurate
perspective on history is provided by time and spatial considerations.
Prof. Michelet believed that history was fundamentally based on geography. “People, the makers of
history, aspire to be wandering without a geographical basis,” he continues. “Geography stands at the
foundation of history,” remarked German philosopher Kant. “History is geography in motion,”
Herder stated. Others, such as American geographer Ells Worth Huntington and Allen Semple, have
emphasized the role of environment in shaping the path of history as well as race temperament.
Many geographical variables helped the growth of the river in the valley, including climate, society,
rivers, mountains, sea, shoreline, and mineral resources. Early Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Indian, and
Chinese cultures. “Egypt is the gift of the Nile,” writes Herodotus, an early Greek historian.
The impact of climate on man has been underlined by Aristotle and Montesquieu. The physical
development of countries with broken coasts, such as Britain, Japan, and Greece, had a signicant
inuence on their history. This helped them strengthen their naval forces and expand their empire.
Similarly, the Himalayas and Assam's forests have served as barriers against incursions from India's
north and east. The Himalayas, as well as the Gobi and Mangolian deserts, are to blame for China's
isolation. Since the Renaissance, the nature of World History has been dictated by geographical
discoveries in America and a new path to India.
Geography also has a signicant impact on the creation of national character and human behaviour. As
we all know, a country's climate has a signicant impact on its civilization. As a result, historians must
have a strong understanding of geography. Accepting the restricted interpretation of geographical eect
on man's behaviour or history would be prudent.
CONCLUSION
The importance of an interdisciplinary approach to understanding and documenting man's evolution
cannot be overstated. Intellectual history has linkages to philosophy and psychology, political science,
and other elds, whereas social history has linkages to economics, sociology, and anthropology. Because
these elds have an impact on history, the study of history is extremely valuable, especially to social
scientists who are doing research or seeking a basic understanding of man. It oers students a better
understanding of the subject they're researching, as well as the data they'll need to investigate any social
or economic phenomena.
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