--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What's interesting in archaeology is that…" description: "\"What's interesting in archaeology is that we always understand other cultures by digging up their cities; architecture is almost always a way for us to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/jimenez-lai-17092_archaeology_what-s-interesting-in-archaeology-is-tha_2688162.jpg" --- # What's interesting in archaeology is that we always… ![“What's interesting in archaeology is that we always understand other cultures by digging up their cities; architecture is almost always a way for us to formulate a diagram of how people used to live.” quote by Jimenez Lai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/jimenez-lai-17092_archaeology_what-s-interesting-in-archaeology-is-tha_2688162.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/jimenez-lai-17092_archaeology_what-s-interesting-in-archaeology-is-tha_2688162.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/jimenez-lai-17092_archaeology_what-s-interesting-in-archaeology-is-tha_2688162.jpg) > “What's interesting in archaeology is that we always understand other cultures by digging up their cities; architecture is almost always a way for us to formulate a diagram of how people used to live.” [Jimenez Lai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimenez-lai/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Archaeology reveals cultures by uncovering cities; architecture helps map past lifestyles. **In simple terms:** Digging shows how people lived. Key Takeaway Study structures to understand history. Themes archaeology architecture culture Mood curious analytical Type interpretive educational When to use this quote - museum exhibit - heritage tourism - academic research Key Concepts urban planning historical analysis Questions to Reflect On - How does architecture reflect daily life? - What limits our understanding from ruins? A Different Perspective Interpretation can be speculative without context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Archaeology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/archaeology/) [Archaeology Understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/archaeology-understand-2635524/) [Architecture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/architecture/) [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Cultures Digging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cultures-digging-2635526/) [Diagrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diagrams/) [Digging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/digging/) [Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting/) [Interesting Archaeology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting-archaeology-2635525/) [Other cultures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/other-cultures/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Understand Cultures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-cultures-2635527/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [If my career doesn't work out as a violinist, I want to become an archaeologist. I've read about paleontology, too - that's dinosaur bones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-hahn/if-my-career-doesn-t-work-out-as-a-violinist-i-want-to-become-an/) [Hilary Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-hahn/) > [For 200 years, the West has been so dominant in the world that it's not really needed to understand other cultures, other civilizations. Because,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-jacques/for-200-years-the-west-has-been-so-dominant-in-the-world-that-it-s/) [Martin Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-jacques/) > [I'm passionate and I travel the world not just as a tourist but to understand cultures... I've lived with Masai tribe... I travel the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-galliano/i-m-passionate-and-i-travel-the-world-not-just-as-a-tourist-but-to/) [John Galliano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-galliano/) > [I don't think that people understand enough about each other's cultures any more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-kompany/i-don-t-think-that-people-understand-enough-about-each-other-s/) [Vincent Kompany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-kompany/) > [Travel early and travel often. Live abroad, if you can. Understand cultures other than your own. As your understanding of other cultures increases, your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-freston/travel-early-and-travel-often-live-abroad-if-you-can-understand/) [Tom Freston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-freston/) > [In some cases there are ways of thinking about what an architectural program produces - interior and exterior - that is not necessarily directed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimenez-lai/in-some-cases-there-are-ways-of-thinking-about-what-an-architectural/) [Jimenez Lai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimenez-lai/) > [The diagram of the house is a portrait of the family, a true portrait, whether it's sad or happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimenez-lai/the-diagram-of-the-house-is-a-portrait-of-the-family-a-true-portrait/) [Jimenez Lai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimenez-lai/) > [I don't see how it's doing society any good to have so many members walking around with vague memories of algebraic formulas and geometric…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-lockhart/i-don-t-see-how-it-s-doing-society-any-good-to-have-so-many-members/) [Paul Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-lockhart/) > [Some people really live and work within the same doctrine, the same diagram with the same logic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zaha-hadid/some-people-really-live-and-work-within-the-same-doctrine-the-same/) [Zaha Hadid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zaha-hadid/) > [Still, this whole grim reaper thing should have come with a manual. Or a diagram of some kind. A flowchart would have been nice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/still-this-whole-grim-reaper-thing-should-have-come-with-a-manual-or/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) > [You can see from a flow diagram who depends on you and whom you can depend on. You can now take joy in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/you-can-see-from-a-flow-diagram-who-depends-on-you-and-whom-you-can/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [In mysticism that love of truth which we saw as the beginning of all philosophy leaves the merely intellectual sphere, and takes on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-underhill/in-mysticism-that-love-of-truth-which-we-saw-as-the-beginning-of-all/) [Evelyn Underhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-underhill/) > [What fabrications they are, mothers. Scarecrows, wax dolls for us to stick pins into, crude diagrams. We deny them an existence of their own,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/what-fabrications-they-are-mothers-scarecrows-wax-dolls-for-us-to/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [I see my self-identity in the same way I see most things: a list, in greatest to least importance. I've found I can't use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-land/i-see-my-self-identity-in-the-same-way-i-see-most-things-a-list-in/) [Stephanie Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-land/) > [I admit that these terms and the diagrams connected with them repel some readers, and fill others with the vain imagination that they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-marshall/i-admit-that-these-terms-and-the-diagrams-connected-with-them-repel/) [Alfred Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-marshall/) ## More by Jimenez Lai > [The moment you put something down on paper it forces you to organize and arrange these thoughts a little better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimenez-lai/the-moment-you-put-something-down-on-paper-it-forces-you-to-organize/) [Jimenez Lai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimenez-lai/) > [The world is meaningless and therefore it's funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimenez-lai/the-world-is-meaningless-and-therefore-it-s-funny/) [Jimenez Lai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimenez-lai/) > [I recently wrote a piece on comics in architecture - I was talking about the three kinds of comics I pay attention to: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimenez-lai/i-recently-wrote-a-piece-on-comics-in-architecture-i-was-talking/) [Jimenez Lai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimenez-lai/) > [Architectural drawing is a language with conventions where the rules can be deliberately misused; a well-composed architectural drawing can both contain correct and incorrect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimenez-lai/architectural-drawing-is-a-language-with-conventions-where-the-rules/) [Jimenez Lai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimenez-lai/) > [One of the reasons why architects are often attracted to philosophers, partially, has to do with making sense of the world around us as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimenez-lai/one-of-the-reasons-why-architects-are-often-attracted-to-philosophers/) [Jimenez Lai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimenez-lai/) > [I think of architecture as language, and I look within the intra-communication between architects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimenez-lai/i-think-of-architecture-as-language-and-i-look-within-the-intra/) [Jimenez Lai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimenez-lai/) > [Architecture, in itself, at the end of the day, is a rational profession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimenez-lai/architecture-in-itself-at-the-end-of-the-day-is-a-rational-profession/) [Jimenez Lai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimenez-lai/) > [Setting up absurd worlds with rules to violate - it's one of the things I hope to achieve with my work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimenez-lai/setting-up-absurd-worlds-with-rules-to-violate-it-s-one-of-the-things/) [Jimenez Lai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimenez-lai/) > [Unlike sciences, literature as art relies on societal acceptance of a certain vocabulary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimenez-lai/unlike-sciences-literature-as-art-relies-on-societal-acceptance-of-a/) [Jimenez Lai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimenez-lai/) > [Every time I traveled to a new city, I would learn about local heroes I did not know about, and I would learn about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimenez-lai/every-time-i-traveled-to-a-new-city-i-would-learn-about-local-heroes/) [Jimenez Lai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimenez-lai/) > [It is possible to construct small realities that contain political or philosophical responses, not necessarily just practical or economical responses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimenez-lai/it-is-possible-to-construct-small-realities-that-contain-political-or/) [Jimenez Lai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimenez-lai/) > [I see architecture as a form of communication over time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimenez-lai/i-see-architecture-as-a-form-of-communication-over-time/) [Jimenez Lai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimenez-lai/) > [The role of architecture, in terms of communication, is not going to drastically change either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimenez-lai/the-role-of-architecture-in-terms-of-communication-is-not-going-to/) [Jimenez Lai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimenez-lai/) > [As a visual discourse, architecture requires trained individuals to work on the refined philosophical debates. School gave me the necessary training, and I've built…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimenez-lai/as-a-visual-discourse-architecture-requires-trained-individuals-to/) [Jimenez Lai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimenez-lai/) > [If I were to arrive at a foreign country like Czech Republic, I don't have to speak Czech to understand the feeling of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimenez-lai/if-i-were-to-arrive-at-a-foreign-country-like-czech-republic-i-don-t/) [Jimenez Lai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimenez-lai/) [Explore all 38 Jimenez Lai quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimenez-lai/) ## More Archaeology quotes > [In archaeology you uncover the unknown. In diplomacy you cover the known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-archaeology-you-uncover-the-unknown-in-diplomacy-you-cover-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's very important to reveal the mystery of the pyramid. Science in archaeology is very important. People all over the world are waiting to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zahi-hawass/it-s-very-important-to-reveal-the-mystery-of-the-pyramid-science-in/) [Zahi Hawass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zahi-hawass/) > [Archaeology, I found, comprehended all manner of excitement and achievement. Adventure is coupled with bookish toil. Romantic excursions go hand in hand with scholarly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/archaeology-i-found-comprehended-all-manner-of-excitement-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Archaeology is the anthropology of the past, and science fiction is the anthropology of the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-vinge/archaeology-is-the-anthropology-of-the-past-and-science-fiction-is/) [Joan D. Vinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-vinge/) > [“Biological evidence indicates that man, evolving with his food plants, developed horticulture and agriculture in both hemispheres at a time which may well have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/biological-evidence-indicates-that-man-evolving-with-his-food-plants/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [On the whole, mental archaeology was a sordid digging proposition. The evil men did endured, the good was infinitely more ephemeral. You could generally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-kieran-reilly/on-the-whole-mental-archaeology-was-a-sordid-digging-proposition-the/) [Helen Kieran Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-kieran-reilly/) > [On the whole … archaeological work has unquestionably strengthened confidence in the reliability of the Scriptural record. More than one archaeologist has found his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millar-burrows/on-the-whole-archaeological-work-has-unquestionably-strengthened/) [Millar Burrows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millar-burrows/) > [“...If she were studying Orciny, and there might be excellent reasons to do so, she'd be doing her doctorate in Folklore or Anthropology or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/china-mi-ville/if-she-were-studying-orciny-and-there-might-be-excellent-reasons-to/) [China Miéville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/china-mi-ville/) > [Many years ago, when I was once saying sadly to Max it was a pity I couldn't have taken up archaeology when I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/many-years-ago-when-i-was-once-saying-sadly-to-max-it-was-a-pity-i/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [We, including many Christians, read the Bible through "eyes" conditioned by, and even accommodated to, modern Western culture plus the influences of messages and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-e-olson/we-including-many-christians-read-the-bible-through-eyes-conditioned/) [Roger E. Olson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-e-olson/) > [For me archaeology is not a source of illustrations for written texts, but an independent source of historical information, with no less value and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-me-archaeology-is-not-a-source-of-illustrations-for-written-texts/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I studied archaeology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-sprouse/i-studied-archaeology/) [Cole Sprouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-sprouse/) > [You know, many people believe that we archaeologists are just a collection of old fogies digging around in the ruins after old dried up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/griffin-jay/you-know-many-people-believe-that-we-archaeologists-are-just-a/) [Griffin Jay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/griffin-jay/) > [Every child thinks archaeology is about digging up land to find dinosaur remains and gold. I had the same intentions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhuvan-bam/every-child-thinks-archaeology-is-about-digging-up-land-to-find/) [Bhuvan Bam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhuvan-bam/) > [Ancient barrows get cleared away. Legislation is pretty much 19th century. Global warming means there is an awful lot of erosion, exposing new archaeology,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robinson/ancient-barrows-get-cleared-away-legislation-is-pretty-much-19th/) [Tony Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robinson/) [Browse all 116 Archaeology quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/archaeology/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What's interesting in archaeology is that we always understand other cultures by digging up their cities; architecture is almost always a way for us to formulate a diagram of how people used to live.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jimenez Lai" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimenez-lai/what-s-interesting-in-archaeology-is-that-we-always-understand-other/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Archaeology" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimenez-lai/what-s-interesting-in-archaeology-is-that-we-always-understand-other/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/jimenez-lai-17092_archaeology_what-s-interesting-in-archaeology-is-tha_2688162.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/jimenez-lai-17092_archaeology_what-s-interesting-in-archaeology-is-tha_2688162.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/jimenez-lai-17092_archaeology_what-s-interesting-in-archaeology-is-tha_2688162.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What's interesting in archaeology is that we always understand other cultures by digging up their cities…” — Jimenez Lai", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jimenez Lai", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimenez-lai/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What's interesting in archaeology is that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimenez-lai/what-s-interesting-in-archaeology-is-that-we-always-understand-other/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimenez-lai/what-s-interesting-in-archaeology-is-that-we-always-understand-other/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```