The History Department, which includes the Archaeology Unit, takes its mandate from the famous (though often misquoted) words of the first President of Botswana, Sir Seretse Khama: "A nation without a past is a lost nation, and a people without a past is a people without a soul.” Understanding the present and planning for the future require knowledge and analysis of the past. It is the task of our department, through education and research, to assist the nation in this endeavour.