this post was submitted on 03 Oct 2023
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Probably more like 99,999...%
Well how far back are we talking? 200,000 years or just since writing was invented. Technically those cave paintings from tens of thousands of years ago could be telling historic events of some kind but if we even just say “only since 5000BCE” and only consider events of significant historic consequence shaping any given region (as opposed to neighbors starting a blood fued by shitting in each others yurts), then it’s STILL probably like 90% lost which is just wild.
Is it history and not ancient times if it is not recorded?
I would like to add:
Imagine all of the recorded history that was destroyed.
I had a thought about this on a toke and walk. Imagine all the artisans over the course of human existence. All the skills and tricks they learned to just exist and live. Like a hunter tieing the ends of their bow in a slightly different way so it would work better with what they had, or a cook who figured out a more interesting way to make pasta or something. All that is just lost to the sands of time. That's okay, humanity is struggling along just fine. Still left me wondering, what do we not know?