Historians do more than study primary sources. They try to look beyond the source to the larger culture that created it. As you can see from the examples in this lesson, every primary source has a story. Historical research and interpretation helps us tell those stories.

Look at the artifact in the picture. Click the links provided to get started with your research. As you review your research, remember to look beyond the facts and try to understand the artifact’s importance in history. Ask yourself these questions:

Why was this object was created?
Why might it have been important to the people who made or used it?
What might it tell us about the culture it belongs to and the specific time period in which it was made?