What do historians study when attempting to make connections between ancient civilizations and world cultures of today?

Historians study anthropology when attempting to make connections between ancient civilizations and world cultures of today. This includes the social behaviors and trends, literature, and music of the day. Anthropology encompasses the knowledge from all academic spheres, from the sciences to the humanities.  Anthropology includes the study of mankind from ancient civilizations to the modern cultures of today. The purpose of these studies is to learn from earlier cultures and civilizations and thereby, help improve our current state. A current example would be the issue of climate change. When was the last time the world's climate changed as radically as it is changing now? How did the people survive the climate change? These are just a few of the questions that can be answered via anthropological studies.