Object-based learning explores material culture by giving audiences increased tactile access to museum collections, and has been available in a growing number of museums throughout the United...Show moreObject-based learning explores material culture by giving audiences increased tactile access to museum collections, and has been available in a growing number of museums throughout the United Kingdom. The purpose of this study was to explore whether current practices are sustainable, and for this it used fourteen case studies of UK-based museums and archaeological organisations which provide object-based learning opportunities. The study suggests that practices are currently sustainable the way they are, with the loan kits especially being a manageable service and great use of archaeological materials that benefits from the regular and consistent needs of schools. However, it is also viewed that reaching out to a different and more unpredictable audience, or being subject to other more unexpected changes such as a change in curriculum would constitute a serious challenge to this sustainability. It is hoped that such research will encourage a wider discussion on the future direction of archaeological material within object based learning collections.Show less
The transport of antiquities out of Greece in the 18th and 19th century has attracted much attention from scholars and from the public due to issues of politics related with the restitution of...Show moreThe transport of antiquities out of Greece in the 18th and 19th century has attracted much attention from scholars and from the public due to issues of politics related with the restitution of cultural heritage. Although this topic has been broadly discussed, the reasons that urged the travellers to journey to Greece and the motives that encouraged them to move the antiquities out of Greece have not been traced yet. The main focus of this thesis is to trace the British, French and Dutch travellers‟ motives and understand the socio-political influences that affected their activities during the 18th and 19th century. These three nationalities were chosen due to their significant involvement in the transport of antiquities during this time period. Therefore, an analysis is provided on travellers from each of those three countries. The three case studies that contribute to the better analysis of this phenomenon are Lord Elgin from Britain, Emmanuel Miller from France and Bernard Eugene Antoine Rottiers from The Netherlands. The institution of the first Greek legislation that was created due to the travellers‟ activities consists one of the many concerns of this study. This thesis, through the analysis of the historical facts and political movements, and through the narration and analysis of specific cases of travellers illustrates how the combination of socio-political circumstances and personal motives encouraged many travellers to transport antiquities out of Greece.Show less
The aim of this thesis is to discover the manner in which Classical mythology is frequently portrayed by both popular culture and museums, and whether this has an effect on members of the public....Show moreThe aim of this thesis is to discover the manner in which Classical mythology is frequently portrayed by both popular culture and museums, and whether this has an effect on members of the public. This is assessed through an analysis of popular culture, a survey answered by members of the public and museum analyses. Firstly, Classical mythology in popular culture is discussed, with the inclusion of some more in-depth case studies. These results are then used to make some predictions about the survey. The survey was created in order to discover which deities and legends of Classical mythology are familiar, how they are known and which words come to mind. Discussion and analysis of results show what the public may expect to see in a museum. The museum analyses consider several different factors in terms of the museum, as well as providing a brief history of the institution: visitors, accessibility, lighting, display, the involvement of Classical mythology and a comparison with public perceptions. Suggestions for how Classical mythology could be portrayed in museums are based on the museum analyses and survey results. The conclusion demonstrates how not everyone has a clear understanding of what is meant by Classical mythology, and that it is more associated with Greek, as opposed to Roman, mythology. Reflecting how religion was embedded in all facets of daily life, museums tend to represent gods under all different kinds of themes. Issues encountered during this thesis included a non-representative sample of the public, in addition to a bias towards museums in both the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, where the museum analyses took place. Further research could include a more representative sample, or cover other countries and museums. It is hoped that this thesis will make a useful contribution towards the field of Museum Studies, and through that, to archaeology. It demonstrates how members of the public perceive Classical mythology, and suggests how museums could portray it in order to correct misconceptions, as well as engage as large an audience as possible. This thesis shows that the public tend to associate Classical mythology with Greece rather than Rome, and as a result are more familiar with ancient Greek deities. Additionally, it shows that popular culture has a significant effect on the public's awareness of certain deities. As the portrayal of antiquities is something rarely studied, this thesis is a unique contribution and should be of benefit to museums.Show less
The voices of Roman slaves have been silenced in death, as in life, and it is with difficulty that we try to locate slavery in the archaeological record. It is therefore important to use all extant...Show moreThe voices of Roman slaves have been silenced in death, as in life, and it is with difficulty that we try to locate slavery in the archaeological record. It is therefore important to use all extant material at our disposal, and the figurines of slave characters in Roman comedy represent a rich, untapped resource. One character in particular, the ‘clever slave’, with his tricky schemes and quick wit, captured the imagination of all levels of Roman society in a way that real slaves never could. This clever slave’s popularity is confirmed by the rich archaeological record, which preserved thousands of charming figurines in a variety of styles and materials, spanning different time periods and geographical areas of the Classical world. They are not only fascinating for their iconography, but for the insights they give us into the technicalities of ancient acting. They have been unearthed in homes, sanctuaries and tombs- diverse contexts that hint at their multitudinous purposes. By examining the ancient texts along with a representative sample of the material evidence, I can establish the nature of these unruly slave characters, how they became so popular and why their image was a recognisable and welcome sight around the Roman world for centuries. Through this analysis I will elucidate on the significance of these statuettes in Roman society, positing how this character and these types of artefacts may have been perceived by slaves. The methodology employed in this thesis also aims to demonstrate how archaeology and classics can be used in tandem to reveal something novel and meaningful that can add to the studies of Roman slavery.Show less
The focus of the thesis is to research what kind of influence the debate on the value of pottery versus metal from the 1980s has had on our current view of Greek archaeology, its material culture...Show moreThe focus of the thesis is to research what kind of influence the debate on the value of pottery versus metal from the 1980s has had on our current view of Greek archaeology, its material culture and how this is presented to the public in museums. By reviewing literature from the last three decades, an overview is given of what different scholars’ opinions are and where this debate is standing now. A summary of the thesis of Vladimir Stissi will provide answers and arguments for most of the statements used in the discussion. He offers a possible solutions for the problem of the value of pottery, calling figure decorated wares a semi-luxury. Finally, a small research is done, analyzing the Greek collections of six museums to find out how ceramic vases are displayed. Most objects are arranged chronologically and themes being told by depictions on vases. Metal or plain examples are absent in most museum, due to the fact that these items were difficult to collect in the earlier days or were not considered valuable or pretty. Museums play a large part in how the public sees the ancient Greek culture. Displaying different sorts of material, connecting them and making more use of texts, will change the way how ancient times were considered by the present public.Show less
This Master thesis will investigate the 19th century restorations on red-figure South Italian vases from the National Museum of Antiquities (Leiden, The Netherlands). From a theoretical framework,...Show moreThis Master thesis will investigate the 19th century restorations on red-figure South Italian vases from the National Museum of Antiquities (Leiden, The Netherlands). From a theoretical framework, which considers restoration as being part of an object’s cultural biography, the restoration practices of vase restorers in the Neapolitan antiquities trade of the 19th century will be investigated. Although these restoration practices are still unexplored, recent investigations have led to promising results. Not only the broken parts of the vases seem to have been repaired and completed, also the paintings have been restored in some cases. The National Museum of Antiquities also has a broad collection of Greek pottery. Some of the South Italian vases owned by the museum have their history in the Neapolitan art market of the 19th century. Yet, little is known about the restorations executed on these vases. To know whether –and to what extent– the collection of red-figure South Italian pottery has been restored, ultraviolet fluorescence will be used. This non-destructive method will be applied to distinguish the ancient paint from the 19th century adjustments. This research will not only answer the aforementioned questions, but –together with comparable studies– also hopes to change the contemporary perception of ancient vase paintings.Show less
