• History as a story- we need to make sense of a few remains.
• What remains: fragments of cloth, broken glass, old writing, bones and other physical remains.

• Writing and history?- what do we do if no one writes it down?
• 'History' invented in 850 BCE with writing down of stories.
• 'Judaic-Christian Bible', 'Sanskrit Veda', 'Zoroastrian Avestan' written texts demonstrate deeper oral past.

• Invention of Tradition- we need to criticize 'folk knowledge
• Examples. Scottish Kilt; Bible in English.
• Oral history can be right (passed down stories verbatim).
• Oral history can be wrong (change story to fit current needs).

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