The Evidence of Civilization

Suppose you're an archaeologist on a dig in some remote corner of the world. As you laboriously scoop away gravel and sand from your dig site, you shake your head in exasperation and scowl. There is nothing of value to be seen amidst all the accumulated rubble and dust-the products of millenia of soil erosion.

Then, after hours of back-breaking exertion, your trowel happens to strike against a strange object half-buried in the dirt. It resounds with a hollow, metallic clang-or, perhaps, a dull thud. Immediately, it intrigues you and you scoop it up out of the ground and hold it to the light to get a better look. It glitters mysteriously in the half-light of dusk as you turn it around with your fingers. Then, you notice strange carved markings around its rim-a design of some sort, with concentric circles and esoteric runes or hieroglyphs, catches your eye.

"Remarkable!" you whisper out loud. "It could not possibly have been created by the random forces of blind nature. Whatever it is-it has to be the product of design, of some form of artistry or artifice." What you hold in your hand is, in fact, an "artifact"-l'objet-d'art-the product of conscious, premeditated design or artifice. What it tells you is that "someone" at some point in time "created" that object-and, therefore, had the necessary ingenuity and sophistication to do so.

A single "artifact" unearthed in the wilderness is evidence of "civilization." Imagine the sensation that would result if such an artifact were to be discovered on the moon or on Mars-it would constitute undeniable evidence of an alien civilization!

Because an artifact constitutes evidence of the design, sophistication, technology and artistry required to produce it, the artifact, thereby, represents the "culture" or "civilization" that provides the setting for the emergence of those cultural traits. It may be argued, therefore, that "civilization" is, in essence, the "artifacts" that it leaves behind. After a culture or civilization has vanished into the mists of time, all we have left to prove that it ever existed and to testify to its accomplishments are the artifacts that were produced by that culture.

Myths and legends do not constitute evidence. The myths of Atlantis or the minotaur in the labyrinth of Crete do not prove that either ever existed. But a single Grecian urn or Renaissance painting speaks volumes about the cultures that produced them. Therefore, because a civilization is defined by the artifacts that it produces and leaves behind for posterity-i.e. those that are discovered by archaeologists and historians in subsequent ages-it may be argued that it is the artists and artisans who define and create "civilization."

Our concept of the past is never static-it shifts constantly, like the shifting sands of time. With every new artifact that is unearthed, our prior preconceptions are proven wrong and a new picture of the past emerges. We discern sophistication, complexity and artistry where previously none existed (in our minds, at least). What we previously assumed to be factually infallible is subsequently exposed as being illusory-a prejudicial misconception.

Remarkably, this entire process hinges upon the discovery of "artifacts." Artifacts become the determinants of our concept of history and have the potential to transform it radically-a fact that tends to be overlooked because it so rarely happens.

Artists and artisans create the artifacts that define civilization and, consequently, their actions determine history. The archaeologists and historians of the distant future, examining the cultural artifacts of our age, would inevitably come to certain conclusions about our civilization. I wonder-would they be favorable or unfavorable? For all we know, they might be grotesque oversimplifications or even outright distortions based upon limited surviving evidence!

A culture is invariably judged by its treatment of and regard for its artists-its creative people. For example, cultures like the Stalinist Soviet Union and Nazi Europe were notorious for their brutal suppression of artistic and creative freedoms and of the perversion and misappropriation of the arts to serve propagandist and political ends. The brutal subjugation and politicization of the arts in these societies are powerful indicators of the oppressive natures of these regimes.

In stark contrast, cultures such as Renaissance Florence or 18th Century Vienna, which are famous for having sponsored a flourishing of the arts, are now seen, in retrospect, as the pinnacles of civilization and cultural achievement. The proliferation of artists, poets, musicians and craftsmen who had the opportunity to thrive in those societies, enjoying the self-expressive creative freedoms afforded by those cultures to their residents to produce sublime works of artistic creativity, constitute undeniable evidence, from a historical standpoint, of the cultural advancement and heightened civilized sophistication of those societies.

Science and technology, while also being powerful indicators of a society's advancement, are not necessarily good indicators of its soul or humanity. A highly advanced technocracy with no artists or artistic accomplishments appears to indicate a soulless, dreary and mechanistically oppressive culture in which individuality and artistic self-expressiveness are stifled by the state and its institutions.

On the other hand, religious zeal is not a very strong indicator of cultural advancement either. More often than not, a "religious" society suggests a society steeped in superstition, ignorance and misogyny-a backward, even tyrannical culture.

However, when all is said and done, it is the culture that is characterized by remarkable artistic accomplishments, such as Renaissance Florence or Classical Athens or Vienna in the Enlightenment, that is, in spite of its technological limitations or religious shortcomings, perceived to represent the pinnacles of cultural sophistication and are the paragons of the ages. Truly, it is the artists who "create" civilization, in whatever sense we take it.

Horizon Cybermedia, Inc., is a company that aspires to be the artistic beacon of our time. We hope to leave behind a cultural legacy that will inspire future generations to reflect favorably upon the level of our artistic advancement and cultural sophistication. We hope that you will join us in our endeavor by supporting us with your viewership. Please do check out our website, which is regularly updated with brand new content. To learn more about Horizon Cybermedia and Exploration with Uday Gunjikar visit http://www.explorationtheseries.com.

Wishing you the very best,

Uday Gunjikar,
Founder and CEO,
Horizon Cybermedia, Inc.