The mechanicum/adeptus Mechanicus is actually a great idea

So imagine you have intricate technology and you want to make sure people still understand it in ten thousand years time. Considering how data is lost, paper rots, languages change and knowledge is forgotten, how could you increase the chance of some of all these things surviving?

We have actually already asked ourselves the same question in regards to nuclear waste storage locations. One idea was the creation of a Nuclear cult. An Atomic Priesthood. A radioactive religion.

If manuals become holy texts, if oiling machines is looked at as the sacred duty of anointment but it still essentially works and keeps those, who don't know anything about the tech away from it, this is about as good as it gets in terms of preservation of knowledge of basically ancient technology (as well as the technology itself).

We often make fun of the Mechanicus, but really it is one of the most sensible and logical aspects to 40k.