Perhaps what you have in mind is "Greats". This consisted of Greek and Latin language and literature, Greek and Roman Ancient History, and Ancient Philosophy. The course took four years (instead of three years as for most subjects). It used to be regarded as the king of subjects, and anyone who got a Double First in Greats could write their own ticket when it came to a career.
Seriously though, I do love a bit of archaeology, but I'm as thick as shit so they won't let me near a dig. I went to the Parthenon, Pompeii, Acropolis, etc when I was a nipper, and I was the only one who was utterly fascinated by it all. The nearest I get to archaeological sites these days is Time Team
You may have point, look at whT the Romans accomplished, then we had the dark ages and went backwards
The romans are the very reason we went backwards. Their adoption of Christianity saw them destroying religious monuments and killing knowledgeable types all over the gaff. Hieroglyphs were only understood by the most important of Egyptians, and the Romans killed all of them. It wasn't until the Rosetta stone was unearthed with passages in 3 languages that they could be deciphered again. The Romans - and Christianity - held us back.
A layman's guide. Quite interesting: LOW-TECH MAGAZINE: The sky is the limit: human powered cranes and lifting devices
Possibly, but I had an idea the course was far far longer (meaning that students were almost "professional"). It was centuries ago though. Ring any bells? Or was the Greats course also centuries ago?
Tombs or monuments, either way it took considerable planning, knowledge and resources which clearly existed otherwise they wouldn't be there. Elites have always looked at ways to differentiate themselves from the masses. Biologically we are indistinguishable from the people who built the pyramids.
