In 1974, a group of farmers were digging a well in China when they found some unusual pottery. Further excavation discovered over 8,000 life-size figures of soldiers along with chariots, weapons and horses from the third century B.C. The discovery became known as the Terracotta Army. It was a significant finding because the artifacts allowed researchers to understand the culture and political systems of an era that no longer exists. It was an archaeologist’s dream to gain such detailed insight into an entire civilization through the objects they left behind. Who were they? Why did they make this? What need did it satisfy for its creators? The things we produce and consume say something about us. Archeologists of the future will someday study the material things we leave behind as relics and draw conclusions about our society. What will they infer about us? Like all artifacts, comic book superheroes are cultural products that satisfy a cultural need. They reveal something about the … [Read more...]