Historical Insights: Leopold von Ranke, Toys, Sports & More
Leopold von Ranke
Leopold von Ranke emphasized the utmost importance of information gathered through original documents. He also stated that all types of documents associated with a historical event need to be examined with the greatest care. He believed that with this method, it was possible to reach the historical truth. He criticized imaginative narration of history. A collection of his articles is published in two books, entitled ‘The Theory and Practice of History’ and ‘The Secret of World History’.
An ivory doll made by Indian craftsmen was found in the excavation of Pompeii, an ancient city in Italy. It is dated to the 1st century C.E. This artifact sheds light on Indo-Roman trade relations. Thus, toys found in archaeological excavations can tell us about cultural contacts between nations in ancient times.
History of Sports Equipment and Toys
The means and equipment for the entertainment and education of children are called toys. Clay toys have been found in archaeological excavations. These toys were fashioned either by hand or by using molds. Dolls are mentioned in ancient Indian literature. A Sanskrit play by Shudraka is named Mrichchhakatika, which means ‘a clay cart’.
Close Tie Between Sports and History
To play is a natural human instinct. Hence, the history of sports begins with the origin of mankind. Various games have been played since the beginning of civilization. Hunting was indeed a way of obtaining food for ancient people, but it was also looked upon as a game and entertainment. Ancient Indian literature and epics mention various games such as games of dice (dyut), wrestling, horse and chariot races, and chess.
Television channels also telecast programs based on history. Doordarshan and other television channels help in creating interest in history among people through their historical shows and serials. Mythological and historical serials like ‘Ramayana’, ‘Mahabharata’, ‘Bharat Ek Khoj’, and ‘Raja Shivchhatrapati’ attracted a very large audience. While producing these types of programs, maintaining accuracy with regard to the presentation of environment, outfits, weaponry, lifestyles, lingual expression, etc., is essential. One needs to have a deep understanding of the history of the concerned period.
Orientalist Historiography
(i) Many European scholars felt curious about the civilization and the countries of the East.
(ii) Some of these were scholars who felt admiration and respect for them; they were known as ‘Orientalists’.
(iii) The Orientalists studied similarities between Sanskrit and some of the European languages. They focused more on Vedic tradition and Sanskrit literature.
(iv) In 1784, Sir William Jones founded the Asiatic Society of Kolkata, which opened doors for researching ancient Indian literature and history.
Subaltern History
(i) The seeds of Subaltern history were found in Marxist historiography.
(ii) Italian historian Antonio Gramsci believed that history should be written starting from the bottom-most ranks of people in society.
(iii) The word ‘Subaltern’ means ‘bottom-most ranks’.
(iv) Folklore has been considered a very important source of writing Subaltern history.
(v) Ranjit Guha, an Indian historian, played a major role in establishing Subaltern history as an important academic school of historiography.
(vi) Previously, similar thoughts were expressed by Jyotirao Phule and Babasaheb Ambedkar, even before the onset of Subaltern ideology.
(vii) Through his book, ‘Gulamgiri’, Jyotiba drew attention towards the exploitation of women, Shudras, and Atishudras done under the name of religion.