Editorial: The Guardian

• Archaeology not only showcases power and wealth, but also everyday life from centuries past.
• Two messages found at the Roman fort of Vindolanda provide a human perspective into colonial life nearly 2000 years ago.
• James Deetz defined an area of archaeology as 'small things forgotten', focusing on mundane objects to better understand societies.
• Written records may contain mundane or legal information, but they reveal what societies deemed important enough to inscribe in stone.
• Findings in Hattusa show that the Hittites had a civil service of scribes dedicated to researching and recording people's traditions and beliefs.

Conclusion: The existence of ancient texts is pivotal in understanding past civilizations, and should be valued as much as the richer, more powerful objects that usually draw attention.

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