Seashells: Artifacts of the Ocean

I recently took a vacation to the beach. I love the smell of the ocean breeze and the way the sun beats down on me as the

motion of the waves calms my every worry in the world. I could literally spend years on the beach and never regret a moment

of it.

One of my favorite beach activities is searching for seashells. There are millions of seashells in the ocean that come from

a wide variety of creatures. They all look different and each has their own personalities that comes across in the divots

and impressions in the shells.

As I was looking for my seashells, I had a thought. The ocean is a vast body of secrets that has a story underneath that no

one really knows about. So, in essence, each sea shell tells a different, but small, portion of the ocean’s story. They are

truly artifacts of the ocean that show what the ocean has been, is now and will be in the future.

Pretty deep if you think about it. Just like each person has a different story and a different set of artifacts that they

take with them from day to day, so do the seashells at the beach. Each has experienced it’s own part of the story of the

vast ocean and has lived to tell about it. Making it on to the beach is its way of trying to get the story out to the world.

I kept thinking about this as I made my way down the beach with my collection of beautiful shells. Each had a different

shape, color and texture and each was beautiful in its own way.

We have our own stories so in essence, we are like the seashells in the ocean of life. We each carry our own personal

artifacts with us that are a representation of what we have experienced in our lives and we really cannot share our true

experiences with anyone other than ourselves. Other people will see the artifacts on our skin and the laugh lines on our

face, but they will never truly know our story, just like we will never know the story of the ocean or the seashells.

The point was not to be too philosophical, but to realize that people are all unique and we are special in all of our own

ways. People do not take the time to realize that any more and when they don’t realize it, they lose a bit of their identity

each time they forget about it.

So remember you are an artifact of the world and you tell your own unique story in the world, just like seashells tell the

story of the ocean, piece by piece. People don’t feel like they are important enough and thinking about this idealistic

notion will make you feel better about your place in the world and realize that we are all important in our own way.

Family Artifacts: Gateways to the Past

There is a famous saying that says you must understand the past to know where you are going in the future. This is certainly

true when you think about your past and what that will mean for you and your future.

If you take a look at your family’s artifacts, heirlooms and photos, you will find a huge history in your family that you

were not aware of previously. This past will clue you in to a number of things, including what your great-grandparents,

grandparents and parents were like in their younger days to what types of fashions they wore and what they enjoyed doing.

Or, studying family artifacts and records can clue you in to the history of the health of your family and give you an

opportunity to understand what types of illnesses are common in your family and what you should be on the lookout for when

you visit your doctor.

Studying family artifacts will also help you piece together the history of your family. Where did your family immigrate

from? Most likely, artifacts that your family still has will give insight to the lives the family led in their old country

and give an idea of why they decided that risking it all and coming to America was the best choice for them.

You could most likely spend hours looking at old records, artifacts and photos. It takes you back to a time that you were

not a part of and never will know firsthand. However, taking the time to look at all of it will give you an idea of what it

takes to make your future bright.

If you can see examples of mistakes your family has made in the past, you can take those mistakes and in turn find a way to

keep from making those same mistakes in your own life. You can also find a way to have potential family illnesses diagnosed

early and taken care of before they turn into serious problems.

So, if you have not already, schedule an afternoon to visit with your Grandparents about the past and ask them to relive

their good memories with you. Then, ask if you can see some of the mementos and artifacts that they have kept for years.

They will most likely be excited to share their lives with you and be thankful that you care. You, in turn, will find out

interesting facts about the past and where your family came from and where you can help take it in the future.

Understanding the past is indeed the key to understanding the future. Take your opportunity to find out more about the

family artifacts in your family while your Grandparents are still around. They will appreciate your gesture and you will

sit in awe of the stories and events that they have lived through in their lives.

Dinosaur Artifacts - Are They Still Relevant Today?

Dinosaur artifacts have piqued the interest of the world since they were first discovered. Who doesn’t remember seeing the

huge skeleton of the monstrous T-Rex and not get scared at its intimidating glare? Of course, we all do.

Museums still display dinosaur bones prominently in their hallways to show what they looked like, how they acted and what

they were capable of doing to other animals. Kids continue to visit these museums and become entranced by the skeletons that

tower about them.However, with the continued advancements in science and technology, do we really need the dinosaur

artifacts anymore?

We have learned the majority of the facts we need to learn from these creatures and we probably will not find out anything

else that we do not already know. But yes, dinosaur artifacts will always play a huge role in our society because we have

looked to these artifacts for years to understand what prehistoric times were like and what can happen when an environment

changes rapidly, a valid concern in today’s eco-conscious mind.

We should also always have dinosaur artifacts on display because children everywhere should learn about what dinosaurs and

their bones were all about. If we did not have the dinosaur bones on display, we would not have a good way to explain that

to children.

Sure, advances in technology can give us computer generated picture of what dinosaurs looked and acted like back millions

of years ago. We can also watch movies that show man-eating dinosaurs coming to life. However, there is truly nothing like

seeing and touching a dinosaur bone for the first time. The experience is like none other and no child should ever be

without htat experience.

Scientists and researchers should also continue to search for dinosaur bones for the foreseeable future. Why? Because we do

not truly know what is out there and we could find ancient dinosaur artifacts someday that will change everything we know

about dinosaurs and the artifacts we have now will truly play a part in bridging the gap between what we think is the

reality and what really is the reality.

To top it off, bone artifacts are simply cool to look at and touch with your fingers and hands. You are holding a piece of

history when you touch a bone and no other feeling is quite like it. Most people get shivers up and down their spines when

they touch dinosaur bones, it is a feeling like none other and it helps connect the past to the present.

It is safe to say that dinosaurs and the artifacts they left behind after extinction will always have a huge place in

science, no matter what type of technology is developed in the future. We will always have a need to understand the past

to really and truly understand our future and dinosaur artifacts will help bridge that gap for this and future generations

Find Artifacts in Your Home Town!

If you are anything like me, you probably think your home town is the most boring place on the planet Earth, especially if

it is a small town. But it is still probably boring if you live in a big city because there is a limit on what you can do as

a child growing up.

However, there is a way for kids to find something fun to do with their friends that does not involve getting into trouble

with the law or drugs. This game is sort of like a scavenger hunt and will appeal to all of the aspiring Indiana Jones

wannabes of the world. This game does not really have a name, but entails finding artifacts all over your home town or

neighborhood. Now, these do not really have to be artifacts, but can be anything you consider old and worthy of mention

as a unique item.

To play, approach it like a scavenger hunt. Have you child get a group of friends together and decide on the rules. For

instance, each child must find an interesting old rock, a piece of petrified wood and some really old pop bottles or cans.

The options are limitless because it depends on what you, your child and his group of friends deems to be worthy of the term

artifacts. Also, your child might consider something to be an artifact that is really only a couple of years old. But to him,

it is ancient.

Your child and his friends can then use their imaginations and create their very own treasure hunt and archeological

expedition with just a few things. It is the best way to get your kids and their friends outside to enjoy the weather and

truly be a kid. The kids get to flex their creativity and you get to rest easy knowing they are participating in a wholesome

activity that helps them think strategically and quickly.

Once your child and his group of friends have gathered their artifacts, have them meet to show off their wares. You never

know, one of the children may have found something that will spark off a conversation about the history of your home town,

history of the United States, the history of anything.

The game of finding artifacts is also one that can be played by adults as a twist on the traditional notion of scavenger

hunting. There are only so many restaurant straws and ketchup packets you can collect in these sorts of games. This gives

you an opportunity to go back to your childhood and find the joy in finding “artifacts.”

So, let your kids be kids and let them scavenge for artifacts. Then you can also be a kid again with your very own version

of the game. It is fun, it is free and it can turn out to be a great educational opportunity for your child. No video game

or sophisticated computer toy or cell phone can boast the same educational benefits that this game can have.

Own Your Very Own Titanic Artifacts

It is certainly hard to believe that nearly one hundred years has passed since the Titanic sunk in the icy Atlantic waters.

The story of that ship and the fateful events that led up to the tragic ending still strike a chord with people to this day.

Scientists and Titanic buffs continue to plan voyages down to the wreckage of the Titanic to see it in all of its eerie glory

and also find more sunken treasures that have gone down with it.

Titanic and the artifacts it left behind continue to entrance people to this day. The movie Titanic is one of the biggest

grossing movies of all time and people still want to remember those who died on that fateful day each year when the

anniversary rolls around.

Why are people so entranced by this story? Because it was the ship that was never supposed to sink. When it did, the world

felt the pain of the people who lost their lives because of an over confident claim that obviously was not true. The Titanic

and its story conjures up a weird love story that people still are interested in to this day.

Other people are more interested in the Titanic for other reasons. There are millions of dollars of jewels that are rumored

to still be down there and have not been recovered. The money loving artifact hounds would love to get their hands on these

items because it would allow them to boast the fact that they have the famous lost items and they could sell them to

collectors and make a huge profit.

People can even purchase their very own artifacts from the Titanic today. There are several companies and web sites that

purportedly sell pieces from the Titanic ship or even items that were recovered from the wreckage. The people who seek out

these artifacts are clearly infatuated with the story behind the Titanic and would like to have a piece of it all to

themselves.

Be careful when decided to purchase a Titanic artifact. How do you really know that what you are buying is really from the

Titanic? You can’t know for sure and it is better off that you just admire and study the story from afar rather than letting

someone take your hard earning money because they claim to have something of value that they will sell to you for several

hundred dollars a pop.

Really, what would you do with an artifact from the Titanic? No one will really enjoy it but you. And is it really worth

spending your hard earned cash on that? Maybe you think it is, but what happens if you find out that it is not really an

artifact from the Titanic and instead a piece of car from the bottom of a lake?

Instead, continue to research more into the story of the Titanic and support your hobby in that way. Save your dollars and

cents for something that is more worthy of your dollars, like a charitable cause.

The Importance of Artifacts

Artifacts are objects made by humans that are usually created for a specific purpose. Artifacts can either be ancient or

modern. Ancient artifacts usually are recovered as part of an archeological dig. The artifacts from the past are meaningful

because they represent some aspect of the culture and civilization in which they were created and used.

Archeologists are interested in artifacts from primitive times because they tell us how ancient civilizations lived. By

examining the artifacts left behind by these civilizations, archeologists and scientists learn more about how the people

during that time hunted and prepared food. Moreover, artifacts tell us how these people designed their homes or shelters

and what tools they used in daily life.

Archeologists also are interested in the clothing and jewelry worn by past civilizations. The way people dressed and what

they used to adorn themselves often tells us a great deal about their belief system. Jewelry, in particular, often reflects

the ideology of the culture, so these artifacts are particularly interesting.

Ancient artifacts were manufactured in many different ways by many different societies and cultures. The methods used vary

greatly between civilizations. Some ancient artifacts were made from bone or stone. Early man often used the natural

products around him to create tools and weapons. Later civilizations used manufacturing processes to create tools and

weapons.

Archeologists consider more than simply the artifact itself. During an excavation, they consider the artifact plus explore

its significance as it pertains to where the object was found. The location of an artifact often can help archeologists

further understand its use and significance.

For instance, many artifacts are found in tombs and graves. These artifacts take on additional meaning since they were

enclosed with a body. Some civilizations buried tools with their dead. They believed the souls of the dead would need these

tools once they reached the other side.

Homes and dwellings are often areas in which many artifacts are found. By studying these artifacts, archeologists can learn

more about the culture and the social atmosphere of these ancient civilizations.

Many museums display artifacts from famous archeological digs. For instance, Native American artifacts can be found in many

museums throughout the United States. Some Egyptian artifacts are among the most famous. Exhibits tour the world showing the

tools, jewelry, and other artifacts discovered over the years in Egyptian tombs.

Some people feel that museums should do more than simply display these artifacts. More museums are listening and now they

are explaining to their guests how these artifacts were used and what the artifacts tell us about these ancient people and

civilizations. Many museums now have media presentations so you can learn a great deal about the artifacts on display.

These displays make learning about the artifacts not only educational but also fun.

When it comes to artifacts, the more we know about the people and societies who have inhabited this world before us, the

more we can understand our past. By understanding our past, we can have a much clearer view into our future.

Artifact Games.....What in the World is That Game He's Playing?

You do not claim to understand the video games and popular culture obsessions of today. In your day, you could play the

Atari and you surely did not have the blogs and constant online social types of interaction that kids do today. But, despite

not knowing about this online world, you would like to understand a little bit more about what your kids do when they play

video games online or on their video game consoles.

One of the games that have mystified parents for years is Artifacts, an online computer game. Artifacts was developed by

SAMU games back in the late 1990’s as a purely online game that could handle several players at once. Gamers who log on to

the site can play the Artifacts game or simply chat with the friends they have made on the site.

Because the game has been around for such a long time, gamers have tips and tricks to make the game more interesting that

it already is. People consistently develop “cheating” techniques for video games that allow certain things to happen only

when the gamer knows the secret cheating code.

You may not believe it, but online strategy games like Artifacts teaches young people about the importance of hand-eye

coordination, quick thinking and critical thinking. These are all important traits for kids to have as they grow older. It

will allow them to be more effective in school work and in future jobs because they are able to easily solve complex

problems and develop and maintain relationships that are complex.

Now, this is not meant to be an overall endorsement of constant video game playing. But, playing games like Artifacts can

help the young players in more ways than parents would like to believe. Experts believe that a generation of sharper kids

will develop from those kids who grew up playing video games.

On the other hand, kids who grow up with video games are less likely to search out more personal relationships with others

because they are able to go online and easily find people who share the same interests and values that they do.

The important thing for parents to do is create a balance of real and virtual life for their children. Limit internet and

game playing time to a certain amount of hours per week and require children to hang out with real-life friends and seek

out outside activities like hide and seek and sports.

Maintaining a balance will help your child continue to play his beloved games like Artifacts, but also be a socially

balanced person. Your child may not appreciate it that you are limiting his online time to a few hours a week. However,

he will thank you later on in life when he is successful because he got the gaming skills along with the important social

skills as well.

And then you can look back and smile when you remember your child’s favorite web site and video games.