What is media archaeology, and why does it matter?
Media archaeology is the study of old entertainment and communication technologies — from early moving pictures and recorded sounds to mechanical games and other curiosities. Just like regular archaeologists dig up ancient artifacts, media archaeologists explore old animations, photos, and devices to understand how people before the digital age played, connected, and got their information.
Today’s knowledge of technology helps us better understand how early media worked and why they fascinated people back then. Media archaeology lets us see how news was spread before TV and the internet, how entertainment was made, and even how the first “memes” were shared. Looking at the images and sounds from the past opens a window to everyday life from centuries ago. While we can’t time-travel, we can still see and hear what captured people’s attention long ago — and that’s something truly special.