Why do archaeologists insist all ancient monuments had to do with religion?

Answer 1

Reverence would probably be a more accurate term to describe the motives behind ancient monuments. There were some ancient monuments that revered certain people rather than a religious icon. If you are going to make a monument of something, it is because that person, place, thing, or idea was revered by either yourself, or the populace.

Answer 2

Only things people give attention to (regard, elevate, worship) are memorialized. That is why they are called "monuments". In many ancient tribes, they worshiped the Sun, Moon, stars, seasons, and poly gods for every human bad and lucky condition. So tribes might worship the Wind, Water, Rain, etc. because they believed those 'gods' gave them life or sustenance of one kind or another. (example: The Druids worshiped at Stonehenge.) Other monuments were made to or of great leaders. So archaeologists do NOT insist all ancient monuments had to do with religion, but with "matters of importance" to that culture.

Answer 3

The idea of the secular, e.g. that there were aspects of society where religion and belief were unimportant, is a concept less than 1000 years old. Almost every part of the state prior to that point had a religious affiliation of some kind. Almost every home had a small shrine of some type, dedicated to the national religion. As a result, nearly every monument has some religious nature, even if that nature is not primary.

Answer 4

Not "all," but certainly a high percentage. Early societies were suffused with religion. Atheism didn't yet exist. No ancient society ever existed that did not believe in the supernatural.