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and Chinese had an economic connection. BELIEFS AND VALUES Many sources reveal a societys beliefs and values. The teachings of Confucius show the familys importance in Chinese society. Translating ancient languages is hard for historians. The best-known example of how this can work lies in the Rosetta Stone of Egypt. It contains the same message in Greek and in two kinds of Egyptian writing. Scholars could read Greek and that made translating the message possible. A societys art may reveal its religious beliefs. Egyptians placed valuable items such as furniture and jewelry in tombs. That evidence teaches that Egyptians believed in life after death. Architecture also suggests certain facts about a society. Greek statues of athletes suggest that the Greeks valued sports. At times archaeologists find items whose purpose is not obvious. Experts often disagree on the meaning of these objects. NEW DISCOVERIES What we think about history is always changing. New historical evidence can give us new information about when events occurred. Very old human bones discovered in Africa and the Americas tell us that human development may have happened much earlier than had been thought. New archaeological finds can revise our view of history. Scholars once believed that the Maya were peaceful, but recent findings of their writings show that Maya rulers often warred with their neighbors. NEW INTERPRETATIONS Historians change their views based on the time, place, and culture within which they live. We now see that women played key roles in U.S. history, but in the past their contributions drew little notice. An open, curious mind is necessary to help historians consider new evidence in evaluating the past.