“Maybe the History we've been told is a lie!”1 “Their true history was covered up!”2 “Hidden History!”3 Beyond being in the short introductory paragraph I read on the r/Tartaria subreddit page, these are phrases I hear nearly every day as an archaeologist who studies pseudoarchaeology, or archaeological conspiracy theories. History has long been a popular subject for conspiracism— its popularity can impact how people engage with history—especially in online spaces where the line between fact and fiction can become blurred. At first glance the idea of a technologically advanced Tartarian empire whose history has been hidden from us seems like a harmless conspiracy theory, but the blurring of the line can also open the gate to some very dangerous paths.
The terms misinformation, disinformation, and conspiracy theory are at times…
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British Columbia History (Digital) - 1 Issue, 57.3 Fall 2024