Todd Borgie reporting from Santiago, Chile: A visit to the Chilean Pre-Columbian Museum   This museum was the most complete collection of Pre-Columbian art I have ever seen. By Pre-Columbian art I mean art that was produced in the Americas before the Spanish arrived in the Americas. The exhibits started with displays from Teotihuacan, Mexico and continued on southbound with examples of artifacts from Central America through Southern Chile and Argentina. Most major Ethnic groups were represented, the Aztecs, Olmecs, Mayans, Wari, Inca, Tiwanakans and the Mapuche. I saw religious art, urns that once held the remains of people, icons, and all kinds of figures. The styles were different and the material in which they were made was different. It was nice to see the progression from North to South especially since I had just traveled that course. Seeing all these things in display cases made me think, if an archaeologist was excavating our culture and civilization, what would they study and what would they place in museums? What do all these artifacts tell us about the people who lived in the ancient world? Imagine archeologists working in your area 2000 years from now what would they find? If a scientist found a skateboard what would they think it was? Do you think they might interpret it as a table with wheels? Some skateboards are highly decorated and some aren’t what conclusions would they draw? Are highly decorated objects more expensive then non-decorated items? In the ancient world and even in the modern world, highly decorated objects are most often used for ceremonial purposes. The modern world shares a lot of the same ceremonies with the ancient world; some of these include birth, graduation (becoming an adult), marriage, death, and Thanksgiving. Can you name some objects that are used specifically for ceremonial purposes today? Are there certain dishes you use for company or are there objects you just take out during Christmas time? Are these objects fancier than your everyday items? What symbols are used to depict these different ceremonies, times or traditions? The Easter rabbit, the thanksgiving turkey, what else? Touring the museum I was able to see fancy pottery with painting on them, carved stones, ornate stools, metal masks, and many other artifacts. Perhaps all of these had special significance and perhaps some were used for everyday chores. It is the job of archeologists and scientist to supply us with an educated interpretation of what these objects are and how they were used. It is a game of imagination and reason. It is fun to look at these items and try to imagine life as an ancient American.