By Aishwarya Vivek Devasthali, Research Associate,Maritime History Society
“What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.”
― William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
This is a very well-known quote by Shakespeare, and is much talked about. Can anyone imagine what a mess it would be in a world if no one had a name？So, obviously and firstly, one has to get a name in order to distinguish between each other so that our world could be more orderly. Names are much more than a bunch of letters grouped together to sound pleasant. They are more than a convenience allowing people to talk to each other. They give things meaning. They bring meaning. They have significance. They define something.
The logic behind naming anything applies to each and every field ranging from chemistry to palynology, botany to zoology and even naming cyclones and storms becomes a subject of interest for everyone. Naming any such thing also invites a controversy. Naming or re-naming villages, monuments and cities, stations are currently a topic for hot discussions, and Archaeology remains no exception when it comes to such discussions.
Continue reading “Naming the Mystery: A Story of a Civilisation”
