Asmussen, Brit, and Donaldson, James (2025) Contemporary antiquities: Exploring engagements. In: Richards, Candace, and Minchin, Elizabeth, (eds.) Mediterranean Collections in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand: Perspectives from Afar. Taylor & Francis, London, United Kingdom, pp. 262-283.

PDF (Published Version) - Published Version Restricted to Repository staff only

Abstract

Antiquities and collections of antiquities exist in ever-changing and complex historical and contemporary contexts. Beyond pragmatic uses, such as education about the past, we consider here the relevance of antiquities held in museums and the varied contributions they make to the contemporary world via people’s engagement with them today. And we ask how such collections and exhibitions balance both the history of these collections and modern museum practice. How can ancient artefacts, often without detailed provenance, be used beyond generic examples of historical objects? How can they contribute to contemporary discourses? How can they enrich modern museological practice? Here we draw on a small collection of objects and case studies as ‘examples to [re]think with’, to explore their unique biographies, their meaning to communities, and their roles in memory keeping and ‘stickiness’, identity work, anti-colonial discourses and actions, and repatriation and restitution.

Actions (Repository Staff Only)

Item Control Page