Ancient History is a multi-disciplined area of investigation, as it involves enquiry techniques derived from other fields of expertise, including archaeology, forensics and a range of physical sciences.
Traditionally, the study of Ancient History involved the examination of written and archaeological evidence. However, both these sources have their limitations. Written sources, which show the views of people of people from the time, are often biased, and present only a limited view of the past, as we are relying solely upon those who could write; generally those from the upper classes. Similarly, Archaeological evidence offers knowledge on only a small aspect of the find, as only a fraction of what was made ever survives. As a result of the restrictions of archaeological and written evidence, historians have realised that through the implementation of other fields of expertise, a broader understanding of the past can be gained.
The development of Carbon-14-Dating in 1947-48 by Willard Libbey led to the separation of Archaeology from Ancient History, resulting in their operation as independent entities. Prior the this advancement, dating was relative and involved the comparison of related sites to one another, leaving a wide margin for error. In the case of the European Bog Bodies, carbon-dating was successfully applied to allow the verification of the age at which the people died, and how long ago they were buried.
Modern forensic techniques have also been applied to the case of Phoenician child sacrifice. DNA evidence have revealed that the babies who were sacrificed showed no evidence of dental defects, or metabolical or nutritional diseases, and that the sacrifices were both male and female.
The system of Laser scanning has been implemented at Stonehenge, in an attempt to examine and record carvings on the stones, invisible to the naked eye. Further re-enhancement of the findings have also revealed new carvings, which will be further analysed to
