Ancient Objects Research Articles

Római pénzek Jáváról

Studying extra regional trade networks in Antiquity can be considered a relatively popular field of research, but the intensity and patterns of such a complex system still leaves lot of questions unanswered, particularly in the case of Rome’s Far Eastern contacts. Due to the meticulous work of international joint research projects working in East and Southeast Asia followed by a raised interest in collecting ancient objects among local people, an increasing number of Roman artefacts have been discovered in the region. At the same time, one must keep in mind that Roman objects discovered in East and Southeast Asia have different backgrounds, and most cases – due to extensive looting – are lacking an archaeologically secure context. Moreover, it is still less recognized that many of these Roman items can only be considered as quite recent, even modern arrivals thus lacking any connection to ancient networks and interactions. Taking the above considerations into account, the paper not only aims to introduce fourteen Indonesia-discovered Roman and Byzantine coins, but also intends to provide possible explanation(s) on how they ended up in East Java, a region that is terra incognita in regards of Roman studies.

"Opisy zabytków w kościołach i na cmentarzach w dekanatach: zwinogródzkim, radomyślskim i białocerkiewskim" ze zbiorów Aleksandra Czołowskiego w Bibliotece Narodowej

“A Description of Antique Objects in Churches and Cemetries in the Deaneries of Zwinogród, Radomyśl, and Biała Cerkiew” in the Collection of Alexander Czołowski in the National Library
 The edition is a presentation of antique objects in churches, chapels and cemeteries in the in the deaneries of Zwinogród, Radomyśl, and Biała Cerkiew of the former Roman-Catholic diocese of Żytomierz (today’s diocese of Kiev-Zhytomir in Ukraine) which was written by two anonymous authors between 1890 and 1894. The manuscript of these descriptions, unanalyzed by scholars as yet, found its way to the collection of a Lvov historicist and archivist Alexander Czołowski (1865-1944). A short time before his death the collection was evacuated by him from Lvov to Tyniec and subsequently sold to the National Library in Warsaw (sign 5705 II) by his daughter in 1947. The manuscript contains fairly succinct descriptions of sacral objects and cemeteries (the majority of which are nonexistent or ruined now) in Zwinogródka, Talne, Wodzianiki, Tołsta, Łysianka, Koszowata, Taraszcza, Brusiłów, Biała Cerkiew, and Didowszczyzna as well as close to 300 transcripts of inscriptions from tombstones, epitaphs, and commemorative plaques from these places that belong to the Chojecki family, Olga Naryszkin née Potocka, general-major of artillery Piotr Olszewski, author Robert Stanisławski, professor of medicine Bronisław Chojnowski, physician, amateur geographer and sculptor Adolf Rykman, and others.

NUSANTARA MASK HERITAGE MALAYSIA: INFOGRAPHIC APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT OF MASKS OF MALAYSIAN INDIGENOUS TRIBES AT THE MUSEUM OF ASIAN ART MALAYSIA BASED ON AUGMENTED REALITY AS MEDIA OF TOURISM EDUCATION

The museum is a fun learning tool for the community. The Museum of Asian Art is one of the museums in Malaysia which was founded by Malaya University. The museum has three showroom floors and represents three civilizations; India, China and Islam. Every day the museum is very crowded by tourists to find information about artifact objects. Lots of artifacts stored in this museum include textiles, musical instruments, ceramics, masks, paintings, weapons and others. The museum itself is the right place to store and preserve ancient objects so they can still be seen and used as a source of learning and cultural preservation for the nation's next generation. This research takes the artifacts that are masks because the results of observations made by researchers, information about masks at the Museum of Asian Art Malaysia is very minimal compared to other artifacts, there are only name tags but there is no deeper information about the mask. So that it still cannot be used as a learning medium to the maximum. From this problem, researchers developed Nusantara Mask Heritage Malaysia (NUSMARI MALAYSIA) products based on Augmented Reality. The research method used is the development model into 4 steps: (1). Research and Information Collecting, (2). Planning, (3). Develop Preliminary Form Of Product, (4). Final Product Revision. The result of this development is a learning media application that can help tourists of all ages to more easily learn the mask of the Orang Asli Malaysia in the museum.

Children value objects with distinctive histories.

From ancient objects in museums to souvenirs obtained on vacation, we often value objects for their distinctive histories. The present experiments investigate the developmental origins of people's feelings that objects with distinctive histories are special. In each of four experiments, 4- to 7-year-olds (total N = 400) saw pairs of identical-looking objects in which one object was new and the other had a history that was either distinctive or mundane. In the first experiment, the histories did not involve people; in the remaining experiments, the histories were personal and related the objects to particular people. Distinctive histories affected children's valuations of regular objects (all experiments), but not their valuations of stuffed animals. Both older and younger children viewed regular objects with distinctive histories as more special than those with mundane histories. Older children mostly viewed objects with distinctive histories as more special than new objects, and younger children showed similar judgments when judging which object a person cared about more. Together, the findings reveal a novel way that information about the past influences children's judgments about the present and suggest that young children's valuations of objects depend on objects' histories. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

A journey into the microstructure: Using a multifocal 3D digital light microscope to study archaeological artefacts retrieved from shipwrecks

The multifocal 3D digital light microscope (LM) is an advanced tool which allows the high resolution tracking of surface topographies, morphologies and colours, and offers real-time measurements of parameters such as length and roughness, as well as in-situ field microscopic scale documentation. The use of a multifocal digital LM, equipped with powerful software, is examined in the present work as a justified tool for the study of ancient objects retrieved from shipwrecks. For that purpose, various archaeological objects were studied with an advanced multifocal LM system, which included an improved light sensitivity sensor. The results were compared to other methods, such as XRF, SEM-EDS, Raman spectroscopy and XRD. The use of a multifocal digital LM offers a unique opportunity to relate between the macroscopic and microscopic levels of the surface with colours as they appear in daylight, and correspondingly, in many cases, to expose the manufacturing process of the object.

‘The Spearhead of the Pennon …’

In 1999, the late Professor Charles Thomas donated a Middle Bronze Age spearhead to the National Museum collection. This spearhead came with a label indicating that it was part of the pennant taken into the Battle of Flodden by Robert Chisholme in 1513. This paper investigates the likelihood that such a claimed association could have any basis in truth, as well as briefly contributing some thoughts on the discovery of already ancient objects in the past.

The first stages of formation communication means in Khorezm

In this article, there was highlighted the appearance and formation of communication service in human history, especially, in Khorezm the history of development of communication system dates back to early ancient. Appearance, formation and development processes of it in Khorezm oasis covers several thousand years. In the early periods, the population of the oasis had to use various ways to satisfy their requirements of communicating and relating with each other.
 It is necessary to emphasize that the geographical location of the oasis also was of great importance in the appearance and peculiar development of communication service in ancient times, together with the ancient history of communications with nomadic tribes in indoor and outdoor territories and states. Because the needs of rulers for the information about the situation in dependent territories always increased after the formation of slave-owning society.
 The beginning of paying attention to the development of controlling the system of sending and receiving messages and organizing special systems is a process continuously connected with the emergence of writings and there appeared opportunities of sending messages and information in written form because of letters.
 One of the ancient communication objects, postal service was an object of sending decrees and messages and it was organized in the oasis as state system in the 5th and 4th centuries B.C.. As a result there was organized postal service along caravan roads. There was left information that news bearers and ambassadors of kings were provided with food and fast-running horses in special stops on the ways and they had their peculiar costume and order (payza) approving their profession and position.
 Those stops were the reason for the rise of communication to a new stage together with serving as a place where tar couriers rest and change their horses.

Mineralogical Characterization and Firing Temperature Delineation on Minoan Pottery, Focusing on the Application of Micro-Raman Spectroscopy

Ceramic objects in whole or in fragments usually account for the majority of findings in an archaeological excavation. Thus, through examination of the values these items bear, it is possible to extract important information regarding raw materials provenance and ceramic technology. For this purpose, either traditional examination protocols could be followed, focusing on the macroscopic/morphological characteristics of the ancient object, or more sophisticated physicochemical techniques are employed. Nevertheless, there are cases where, due to the uniqueness and the significance of an object of archaeological value, sampling is impossible. Then, the available analytical tools are extremely limited, especially when molecular information and mineral phase identification is required. In this context, the results acquired from a multiphase clay ceramic dated on Early Neopalatioal period ΜΜΙΙΙA-LMIA (1750 B.C.E.–1490 B.C.E.), from the Minoan Bronze Age site at Philioremos (Crete, Greece) through the application of Raman confocal spectroscopy, a non-destructive/ non-invasive method are reported. The spectroscopic results are confirmed through the application of X-ray microdiffraction and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry. Moreover, it is demonstrated how it is made possible through the application of micro-Raman (μRaman) spectroscopy to examine and collect crucial information from very small inclusions in the ceramic fabric. The aim of this approach is to develop an analytical protocol based on μRaman spectroscopy, for extracting firing temperature information from other ceramic finds (figurines) where due to their uniqueness sampling and analyses through other techniques is not possible. This information can lead to dating but also to firing kiln technology extrapolations that are very significant in archaeology.

Radiocarbon Dating and the Protection of Cultural Heritage

ABSTRACTThe modern antiquities market uses radiocarbon (14C) dating to screen for forged objects. Although this fact shows the potential and power of the method, the circumstances where it is applied can be questionable and call for our attention. Here we present an outline of a call to radiocarbon laboratories for due diligence and best practice approaches to the analysis of antique objects requested by non-research clients.

The Current State of the Antiquities Trade: An Art Dealer’s Perspective

Abstract:The antiquities trade is the subject of contentious debate. The anti-trade position stems from a long unquestioned stance within academia that private ownership of antiquities inherently results in archaeological site destruction and the loss of valuable data. However, there is little data to support this notion. It also ignores the enormous contributions to our shared knowledge of the past that have been made through art collecting and museum acquisitions. The narrative that the destruction of ancient sites is directly tied to Western demand for ancient art is overly simplistic. Despite the ongoing destruction in the Middle East and North African region, virtually no artifacts from there have entered the Western trade in recent years. Opportunistic treasure hunting by desperate locals and intentional destruction of ancient objects for religious reasons cannot be curtailed by increased legislation in Western nations. Fetishizing mundane ubiquitous antiquities as sacrosanct objects of great national importance that must be retained within modern borders in a globalized world and demanding criminalization of the legitimate international art trade are counterproductive. In many archaeologically rich countries, antiquities are regarded as items to sell to foreigners at best or sacrilegious objects to be destroyed at worst. The free trade in cultural objects is itself an institution that needs to be protected. An open legitimate trade in antiquities is now more than ever necessary to ensure the preservation and dissemination of worldwide cultural property.

Provenances: Real, Fake, and Questionable

Abstract:Provenance, the ownership history of an artifact or work of art, has become one of the primary mechanisms for determining the legal status and authenticity of a cultural object. Professional associations, including museum organizations, have adopted the “1970 standard” as a means to prevent the acquisition of an ancient object from promoting the looting of archaeological sites, which is driven by the economic gains realized through the international market. The Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD), one of the museum world’s most influential professional organizations, requires its members to list the ancient artworks and artifacts that they have acquired after 2008 that do not conform to the 1970 standard in an online object registry. The study presented here of the AAMD’s Object Registry for New Acquisitions of Archaeological Material and Works of Ancient Art analyzes the extent to which AAMD member museums do not comply with the 1970 standard and, perhaps of greater significance, the weaknesses in the provenance information on which they rely in acquiring such works. I argue that systematic recurrences of inadequate provenance certitude are symptomatic of the larger problem of methodology and standards of evidence in claiming documented provenance. A museum’s acceptance of possibly unverifiable provenance documentation and, therefore, its acquisition of an object that may have been recently looted, in turn, impose a negative externality on society through the loss of information about our past caused by the looting of archaeological sites.

Stone objects of Russian Fennoscandia: potential for recreational use

The perspectives for recreational use of attractive stone objects in the natural region of the Russian-owned part of Fennoscandia are considered. Such objects as fjords, canyons, selga, rapids, huge boulders and their clusters, petroglyphs, seitas and labyrinths are very popular among tourists. The article shows new approaches to the interpretation of the primary purpose of the Stone Age objects, based on the priorities of geographical adaptation, rational development of the landscape, space marking and time measurement. The modern problems of preservation of cultural heritage monuments are considered. Special attention is paid to anthropomorphic and zoomorphic rocks and sculptures, the genesis of which is the subject of scientific debate. The use of geographical methods expands the concept of the primary purpose of ancient objects, stone processing technologies, the simplest tools of orientation in space-time and the ancient navigation system. The results of the research allow us to clarify ideas about the evolution of the natural environment in the region, clarify the existing reconstruction of the economic structure and cultural traditions of the indigenous population, optimize the existing and develop new models of rational use of the natural and cultural heritage in the field of tourism and recreation. Prehistoric stone objects are a source of unique information and a valuable resource for the development of recreational activities. The inclusion of these objects in the system of organized tourism contributes to their preservation and economic development of the territory. The article is addressed to researchers and priaktiks involved in the development of projects for the development of the Arctic regions.

Review: From the Desert to the City: The Journey of Late Ancient Textiles and From the Desert to the City: The Journey of Late Ancient Textiles. Selections from the Rose Choron textile collection with related objects, edited by Warren Woodfin

“From the Desert to the City: The Journey of Late Ancient Textiles,” Godwin-Ternbach Museum, Queens College, Flushing, New York (September 13, 2018–January 17, 2019) [http://gtmuseum.org/?page_id=128]. Warren Woodfin, ed., From the Desert to the City: The Journey of Late Ancient Textiles. Selections from the Rose Choron textile collection with related objects . New York: Godwin-Ternbach Museum, Queens College, CUNY, 2018. ISBN: 978-0-9832641-8-7. 93 pages, 92 color and 2 black-and-white illustrations, $40.00. “From the Desert to the City: The Journey of Late Ancient Textiles” celebrates the recent donation of 85 late antique Egyptian textile fragments to the Godwin-Ternbach Museum at Queens College, CUNY.1 Curated by Warren Woodfin (Associate Professor, Art Department, Queens College), Elizabeth Hoy, and Brita Helgesen (Co-Directors of the Godwin-Ternbach), the exhibition and accompanying catalog integrate these newly acquired objects with ancient, late antique, and modern works from the Godwin-Ternbach permanent collection as well as with loans from the Brooklyn Museum, Metropolitan Opera Archives, and several private collectors. In addition, large-scale paintings and fiber works by two contemporary New York artists are interspersed throughout the show. The result is an exciting, dynamic presentation that effectively positions late antique Egyptian textiles in their original social and functional contexts while animating these ancient objects through a rich consideration of their afterlives in the modern and contemporary eras.2 All the late antique textiles on display were woven from linen and wool—not the more luxurious material of silk—and thus they attest to the kinds of everyday fiber objects that dressed the bodies and homes of average people. These commonplace things represent a class of artifact found in institutional collections throughout Europe and North America. Despite their ordinary character, they show an impressive array of vibrantly colored, engaging motifs, from pagan mythological figures (Fig. 1) to patterns of plants and animals (Fig. 2) to busts of women, who might represent personifications of wealth and good fortune or portraits of actual people whose identities have been lost to the passage of time (Fig. 3). A small number of textiles show Christian iconography, including crosses and holy figures (Fig. 4). Together they offer compelling evidence for the visual and material environment of daily life in late antique Egypt. FIG. 1. Black roundel with a riding nereid, Egypt, …

Banquet Beaker; Interpreting an Ancient Object on the Base of Pottery Beakers from Mala Mcha, Kani Koter and Hasanlu

Banquet Beaker; Interpreting an Ancient Object on the Base of Pottery Beakers from Mala Mcha, Kani Koter and Hasanlu

CLASSICISM IN HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN EUROPEAN RUSSIA AND SIBERIA

The article discusses the general trends in the development of classicism in the architecture of Russia and Siberia. Prerequisites for this development are studied and the examples of famous architectural monuments and the main styles are given. The relevance of this study is conditioned by the problems of preserving historic buildings in Russia and the loss of valuable building elements. Classical architecture is characterized by strict forms widely adopted in the 19th century. For a long time, it was recognized as a background housing and was destructed in the Soviet period. At present, these objects are rare and carry information about the architectural era. Although many authors study the classicism in Russia, it is not yet completely studied, in particular, in Tomsk-city.The purpose of the article is to study the classicism stages in Russia and development in Tomsk. The article uses the methods of comparative and architectural analyses. It is shown how the main public buildings are designed and built in Russia and Tomsk, in particular, in accordance with the approved projects.It is shown that classicism developed in several stages and by the middle of the 19th century became the national style. A need to build state-owned buildings in the provincial cities, the emergence of new types of buildings, such as magistrates, offices, banks, exchanges modified the architectural and artistic direction.Standard projects allow developing the efficient and technically competent housing in a short time, which contribute to the stylistic integrity of the Russian cities. Due to the significant loss of buildings of the classicism period, the existing buildings are the most ancient and valuable objects that require studying and preservation.

Multi technique and multiscale approaches to the study of ancient and modern art objects on wooden and canvas support

Abstract The present chapter will illustrate few examples of multi-technique and multi-scale approaches for objects belonging to past or modern periods in the history of art chronology. Thus, four studies on four different topics are brought to the attention: multi disciplinary and multi-techniques characterization of gilded altarpieces and sculptures in Portugal between 1500 and 1800 (3 years research project); an interdisciplinary approach to easel paintings from fifteenth and sixteenth century in Portugal (3 years research project); characterization of ketone resins varnishes (2 years research project) and of salts developed on canvas paintings from the Munch Museum collection (past investigation to be continued with an ongong 3 years research project). These studies show how important is to make use of different analytical tools when investigating a specific material, artistic technique or degradation phenomenon. The objects studied in the above mentioned research projects were created on wooden or canvas supports and they present paint, polichromy or gilded layers, and varnish coatings, therefore their structure and composition is complex and requires a complex, interdisciplinary approach. In many cases to the surface materials from a polychrome or painted object, degradation products are present and their identification as well the understanding of their mechanism of formation is possible only we have a complete overview of the materials present in the layered structure of the object.

‘All that glitters is not Roman’ - Roman coins discovered in East Java, Indonesia

Studying extra regional trade networks in Antiquity can be considered a relatively popular field of research, but the intensity and patterns of such complex system still leave lot of questions, particularly in the case of Rome’s Far Eastern trade. There is still a trend to visualize a kind of globalized commercial activity between the Imperium and communities on the eastern edge of the Silk Road(s). However, the facts provide us a more comprehensive picture. Due to the meticulous work of international joint research projects working in East and Southeast Asia followed by a raised interest in collecting ancient objects among local people, an increasing number of Roman objects have been discovered in the region. These finds prove the significance of mediator cultures in transferring Roman artifacts beyond India – with their own imprints on forming evaluation/acceptance of these non-local goods by the receiving culture.

An Archaeometallurgical Investigation on Metal Samples from the Chiaravalle Cross

The production and manufacturing techniques of metals involve expertise, and the study of ancient artifacts relies on interdisciplinary skills. Metalworking processes used in the production of jewelry masterpieces can, for example, give indications on the provenance of an ancient object of an unknown origin and the techniques used. In this regard, metallic samples from the Chiaravalle Cross (a beautiful processional cross with a complex structure, dating to the 13th century) have been studied, combining bulk and point measurements. Neutron-based experiments (like Prompt Gamma Activation Analysis and neutron diffraction) provide the bulk of the elemental and mineralogical composition, while particle induced X-ray emission analyses evidenced important details on its manufacturing techniques.

Reconstructing the mass accretion histories of nearby red nuggets with their globular cluster systems

AbstractIt is generally recognized that massive galaxies form through a combination of in-situ collapse and ex-situ accretion. The in-situ component forms early, where gas collapse and compaction leads to the formation of massive compact systems (blue and red “nuggets”) seen at z > 1. The subsequent accretion of satellites brings in ex-situ material, growing these nuggets in size and mass to appear as the massive early-type galaxies (ETGs) we see locally. Due to stochasticity in the accretion process, in a few rare cases a red nugget will evolve to the present day having undergone little ex-situ mass accretion. The resulting massive, compact and ancient objects have been termed “relic galaxies”. Detailed stellar population and kinematic analyses are required to characterise these systems. However, an additional crucial aspect lies in determining the fraction of ex-situ mass they have accreted since their formation. Globular cluster systems can be used to constrain this fraction, since the oldest and most metal-poor globular clusters in massive galaxies are primarily an accreted, ex-situ population. Models for the formation of relic galaxies and their globular cluster systems suggest that, due to their early compaction and limited accretion of dark-matter dominated satellites, relic galaxies should have characteristically low dark-matter mass fractions compared to ETGs of the same stellar mass.

Protection of Authenticity in the Process of Historic Sacral Site Adaptation. Contemporary Interior Decoration in Renovation Design

The article presents the ways of adapting antique sacral objects from various regions of Europe and also one from Asia. The introduction cites the post-war and contemporary conservatory doctrine, which extensively impacted the range of conservatory interference on specific objects. The examples of adaptations are historicist shapes and interiors of buildings or integration of the historical sacral building with contemporary architecture that uses modern material solutions and technologies which clearly contrast with the authentic pieces of the object. Contemporary arrangements in conservatory design are described based on the realization of two engineer’s theses involving issues of conservation, revalorisation, and adaptation of churches in Wrocław. The first work made by Eng. Arch. Ewelina Szczepańska titled “Attic and inter-tower spaces adaptation of Wrocław Archicathedral.” included revalorisation of cathedral’s attic and spaces located above the northern nave and its adaptation into expositional functions. In the second work created by Eng. Arch. Karolina Bazan considered the topic of “The Attic adaption of Collegiate Church of the Holy Cross in Wroclaw.” In conservatory practice, the definition of authenticity and its interpretation has still got essential importance. Considering the primacy of authenticity’s value as leading in the way of revalorisation of the specific object and to keep the identity of the place. It is possible to analyse local traditions in the adaptation of antique objects. The value of authenticity in sacral objects cannot be just limited to material heritage, for which it consists of such obvious values as: form, function, construction of architectural object, material and detail, but also the value of the nonmaterial sphere, such as sacrum, symbol, memory and historical and social issued should be considered.