Relics Tell Stories




A relic is something that is from the past; sometimes an object similar to a souvenir or memento.  An heirloom or a family treasure is considered a relic. The Wikipedia explains, “The word relic comes from the Latin reliquiae, meaning "remains" or "something left behind" (the same root as relinquish).”(1)  Relics are fragments of the past kept to remind the future of what once was.  Relics tell stories about someone; their life, their practices, customs, or their beliefs.  A relic is something that is kept in remembrance of someone such as a keepsake or memento. 

What relics do you have in your home?  What stories do they tell?  What memories do they evoke?  Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary suggests the following synonyms:  “echo, ghost, vestige, shadow, trace.”(2)  Heirlooms and keepsakes are an echo of the past, a ghost or presence of someone who once lived, a vestige or trace or hint of a person’s life, and a shadow cast by the past onto today.

Another definition of relic from Merriam-Webster is: “a trace of some past or outmoded practice, custom or belief.”(2)  What traditions do you practice, what customs or beliefs have been passed from the generations of your family?  What customs or beliefs are you passing onto future generations?

Why do relics matter?  Steven Lubar and Kathleen Kendrick suggest, “Artifacts are the touchstones that bring memories and meanings to life. They make history real. Moreover, it is a reality that can and should be viewed from different perspectives.”(3)  As we research our family that is exactly what we are trying to do, “make history real”; give life to our ancestors and our family members that we have never met.  Lubar and Kendrick suggest five ways to think about artifacts in history:
·       “Artifacts connect people.”(3)
·       “Artifacts mean many things.”(3)
·       “Artifacts capture moments.”(3)
·       “Artifacts reflect changes.”(3)
As you look at the relics in your home think about how they connect you to your ancestors, how they have captured moments in their lives and how they have been handed down generation to generation.

Sources:
(1) Wikipedia, Relic, accessed, 2 August 2014, online at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relic
(2) Merriam-Webster.com, accessed 2 August 2014, online at:  http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/relic
(3) Lubar, Steven and Kendrick, Kathleen, “Looking at Artifacts, Thinking About History” online at:   Smithsonian Education.org, 2 August 2014, http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/idealabs/ap/essays/looking.htm
Smithsonian’s history Explorer, accessed 2 August 2014 online at: http://historyexplorer.si.edu/artifacts/
Dictionary Reference.com, “relic” accessed 2 August 2014 online at:  http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/relics?s=t
Religion Facts.com, “Relics in Christianity”, accessed 2 August 2014 online at: http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/things/relics.htm

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