the changing canon

 

Just look at that picture. Machu Picchu now, and back in 1915. We think of it as essential world knowledge. Back then, completely ignored. 

History isn't static!!

*No* writer in 1915 was influenced by Moby-Dick, or had likely even read it.

Very few history and literature classes now extensively cover the Maya or the Aztecs. Maya histories have only been decoded in the last decade. As for the Aztecs, there's more ancient Nahuatl literature than ancient Latin or Greek combined. It's all just sitting there waiting for us to honor it and think about it.

100 years from now this stuff may be considered essential knowledge.