Lynne Kelly
I have just finished "The Memory Code" to be published in July this year. It is the mainstream version of my PhD thesis and academic book. I am finally back to writing for the general reader, where I belong. But I had stumbled across something so radical that I needed the academic verification first.
My research for a natural history book drawing on indigenous animal knowledge led me to ask a simple question: how do they remember so much stuff? That led me to the phenomenal memory tricks of non-literate cultures. I then stumbled on the fact that the memory methods which are essential to the survival of oral cultures leave clues in the archaeology - a fact which has never been applied to the interpretation of sites built by oral cultures. How lucky was I?
These ideas explain why they built Stonehenge and all the Neolithic monuments, Easter Island, the amazing animal glyphs known as the Nasca Lines, the incredible buildings in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico and a huge number of other sites around the world. Sound too good to be true? That's how I felt for the years of research involved, but it's all been checked and checked by experts.
The ideas explain why the Inca Empire was so successful even though they had no writing. It explains how Aboriginal people retain entire field guides, navigation maps, genealogies and so much more - and keep it all in memory. I have been implementing these memory methods myself and cannot believe how effective they are. I can now memorise almost anything!
This will be the theme of my writing - books, blogs and articles, for many years to come. I have just scratched the surface.
My research for a natural history book drawing on indigenous animal knowledge led me to ask a simple question: how do they remember so much stuff? That led me to the phenomenal memory tricks of non-literate cultures. I then stumbled on the fact that the memory methods which are essential to the survival of oral cultures leave clues in the archaeology - a fact which has never been applied to the interpretation of sites built by oral cultures. How lucky was I?
These ideas explain why they built Stonehenge and all the Neolithic monuments, Easter Island, the amazing animal glyphs known as the Nasca Lines, the incredible buildings in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico and a huge number of other sites around the world. Sound too good to be true? That's how I felt for the years of research involved, but it's all been checked and checked by experts.
The ideas explain why the Inca Empire was so successful even though they had no writing. It explains how Aboriginal people retain entire field guides, navigation maps, genealogies and so much more - and keep it all in memory. I have been implementing these memory methods myself and cannot believe how effective they are. I can now memorise almost anything!
This will be the theme of my writing - books, blogs and articles, for many years to come. I have just scratched the surface.
More Answered Questions
Semper Liber
asked
Lynne Kelly:
=) I think that chapter brought the other chapters alive by giving an idea of how the memory techniques would be used by indigenous populations. I was thinking of memorising either ideas from books, history, philosophy or the stars? I will have fun experimenting and get back to you. kind regards, All the best, Joe
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