Classical past and its material evocations continue to play a vital role in both Greek national imagination and the collective subconscious of Greek society. At the same time, racial discrimination...Show moreClassical past and its material evocations continue to play a vital role in both Greek national imagination and the collective subconscious of Greek society. At the same time, racial discrimination and xenophobic feelings are on the rise due to recent increase in migration and refugee flows mainly from Asia and Africa. Still, the colonial undercurrents concerning the connection of Greece with classical antiquity and its more recent Ottoman past are in a considerable degree unrecognized. The analytical tools available in postcolonial archaeology and its broader theoretical framework offer a more nuanced comprehension of colonialism and its complex nature and effects. Drawing therefore upon postcolonial studies, this thesis examines the development of archaeology in Ottoman Greece in conjunction with colonialist and nationalist discourses and practices, and critiques the colonial reverberations evident in present archaeological research.Show less
Analyzing the acquisition policies of museums is an important way to understand how the legal as well as ethical standards have evolved since 1970. Museums were influenced by these changing...Show moreAnalyzing the acquisition policies of museums is an important way to understand how the legal as well as ethical standards have evolved since 1970. Museums were influenced by these changing standards: What could be bought legally some years ago can no longer be bought legally today. This has to do with how the legal and ethical standards evolved. Furthermore, it is evident from the research that museums have understood that they can no longer buy unprovenanced antiquities and, for this reason, have published acquisition policies and declarations. The year 1970 can be seen as the turning point in the protection of antiquities. In this year, the first ethical codes were published by museums as well as the ICOM Code of Ethics; and in November 1970 the UNESCO Convention was put into effect. This thesis analyzes the acquisition policy of the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden and compares it with other major museums.Show less
The museum over time has undergone many changes. Its meaning and role have altered frequently according to the social and cultural structure of each era. Its activities have enriched sharing...Show moreThe museum over time has undergone many changes. Its meaning and role have altered frequently according to the social and cultural structure of each era. Its activities have enriched sharing knowledge not only within the scientific community but also with all kinds of visitors. The educational programs are one of the newer activities of museums that allow children, the roots of society, to learn about the historical past through external education. The specific research, in what way can an archaeological museum organize the educational programs in order to introduce children to the cultural past, is based on two museums; the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden and the Archaeological Museum of Sparta. For this purpose, archival research and a lot of interviews with the museum professionals and the museum visitors were conducted. Different people from different posts and with different views were asked to talk about and evaluate the educational programs. In the end, a new educational program for the Archaeological Museum of Sparta is proposed. This new three stage program, consisting of visit preparation, the visit itself and activities at school, is influenced by the programs of the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden. It is designed to be easily adapted for local museums yet still provides the same educational benefits for national museums.Show less
