Artifacts are used to show one’s past history and culture.The acronym G.R.A.P.E.S. stands for Geography, Religion/philosophy, Artifacts, Politics, Economics, and Social. We can use artifacts to help understand all of these themes better. Artifacts are everywhere and can have sentimental meanings as well as evidence of the past.

As a human, I have many artifacts, but some mean more to me than others. One of my most important items is my necklace. It is my brothers necklace which is why it means so much to me. He is the most important person in my life and has been through a lot and inspires me every day. It is very hard for me right now because he is away and will be away for two years which is longer than I’ve ever gone without seeing him. I normally do everything with him. Our ancestry in Norway is very important to my brother and therefore is very important to me. I remember when he was little, he was obsessed with knowing about all of our Norwegian relatives and ancestors. My necklace is a Norwegian viking ax and it was my brothers until he left home. When he left, I was devastated but picked up his necklace and I haven’t taken it off yet. It gives me hope and remembrance of my history. I hold it in my hand when I need comfort and it helps me to remember that my brother won’t be gone forever and that he is getting better and this all happened for a good reason. I always think of my trip to Norway with my family and I spent my time with my brother learning things about our history and exploring.

The geography of this necklace is very important. It comes from Norway where my family is from and tells a lot about the history of Norway. The vikings used battle axes in war and as their main weapons. Wearing this, I feel connected to my personal history and culture. I am related to Leif Erikson who was a Norwegian and Icelandic viking who discovered North America before Christopher Columbus. This is a very important component from my history and my necklace helps me remember my history.

http://www.history.com/topics/exploration/leif-eriksson