Overview

How do objects shape, and become shaped by the social and cultural words they inhabit? This volume explores the dynamic lives of objects from prehistory to modernity, as they move through time, space, and systems of value and meaning. Case studies from Greco-Roman antiquity to northern Europe, and the Indus Valley, present diverse archaeological, art-historical, museological, and heritage perspectives into the ever-progressing lives of artefacts, monuments, and museum collections. The authors examine provenance, collections histories, shifting meanings of artefacts in post-colonial settings, and the role of museums in shaping narratives. Framed within the theoretical discourse of object biography, contributions reveal how the entanglements of things are in a constant state of motion, and how contexts of use, circulation, and analysis are socially and politically defined. This is a rich resource for anyone interested in the complex lives of things and the interplay between people, artefacts, and the institutions that house and study them.

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9781407363721

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Reviews

'The volume makes a substantial contribution by foregrounding the cultural biographies of objects as a research framework. It shows how this approach reveals hidden or marginalised histories and enriches our understanding of archaeological and museum artefacts.' Professor Dimitris Plantzos, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens 'This volume makes an outstanding and significant contribution to several fields: archaeology, history of art, reception studies, and museum studies. The ways the individual authors and contributions engage with object biography, history of collections and museum ethics is bound to be of interest to many readers.' Professor Tyler Jo Smith, University of Virginia 'The book will be a very significant contribution in the field. The various chapters present hitherto unknown stories or aspects of the lives of the objects presented, while the analysis of each object (or group of objects) using the framework of object biography is sensitive and timely.' Assistant Professor Olympia Bobou, Aarhus University

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