Museum Collections Research Articles

Applying of Object ID Stander on the Carpets Collection at the Museum of Islamic Art, Cairo

This research is the first archaeological study that applies standard of Object ID as a principle of museum collection management, that will be on Islamic carpets collection at the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo as a case study. This paper is a practical field study, which includes in its aspects field training, workshops, lectures, and automatic and manual examination of carpets as a case study, according to the organizational work and the principles available and followed by the museum.

Museum Professionals’ Perceptions of Chemical and Biological Hazards and Risks in Museum Work Environments in Finland

Limited research has explored museum professionals’ perceptions of workplace hazards and risks, despite the presence of various health threats in museum work environments. This study aims to identify perceived chemical and biological hazards and contributing factors in Finnish museum workplaces. Utilizing data from two surveys and qualitative content analysis, it uncovers a range of perceived hazards, often linked to collection storage facilities, historical buildings, and museum collections. Mold, indoor air quality, and dust are central concerns. While recognizing chemical hazards in collections proves challenging, accident-related and ergonomic hazards receive broad recognition. Workplace hazards are perceived to be rooted in systemic and cultural factors, encompassing haphazard management, recurring themes of neglect, limited safety knowledge, and negative attitudes. Enhancing workplace safety in museums necessitates a comprehensive approach, including support and education for leaders and other professionals, improved work practices and storage facilities, and increased budgetary support.

Objects of “imprisonment”: Diasporic museum collections on ethnographic display

Objects of “imprisonment”: Diasporic museum collections on ethnographic display

The Digital Atlas of Ancient Rare Diseases (DAARD) and its relevance for current research

BackgroundThe history of rare diseases is largely unknown. Research on this topic has focused on individual cases of prominent (historical) individuals and artistic (e.g., iconographic) representations. Medical collections include large numbers of specimens that exhibit signs of rare diseases, but most of them date to relatively recent periods. However, cases of rare diseases detected in mummies and skeletal remains derived from archaeological excavations have also been recorded. Nevertheless, this direct evidence from historical and archaeological contexts is mainly absent from academic discourse and generally not consulted in medical research on rare diseases.ResultsThis desideratum is addressed by the Digital Atlas of Ancient Rare Diseases (DAARD: https://daard.dainst.org), which is an open access/open data database and web-based mapping tool that collects evidence of different rare diseases found in skeletons and mummies globally and throughout all historic and prehistoric time periods. This easily searchable database allows queries by diagnosis, the preservation level of human remains, research methodology, place of curation and publications. In this manuscript, the design and functionality of the DAARD are illustrated using examples of achondroplasia and other types of stunted growth.ConclusionsAs an open, collaborative repository for collecting, mapping and querying well-structured medical data on individuals from ancient times, the DAARD opens new avenues of research. Over time, the number of rare diseases will increase through the addition of new cases from varied backgrounds such as museum collections and archaeological excavations. Depending on the research question, phenotypic or genetic information can be retrieved, as well as information on the general occurrence of a rare disease in selected space–time intervals. Furthermore, for individuals diagnosed with a rare disease, this approach can help them to build identity and reveal an aspect of their condition they might not have been aware of. Thus, the DAARD contributes to the understanding of rare diseases from a long-term perspective and adds to the latest medical research.

Французские куклы в региональных одеждах на почтовых открытках – изобразительный источник по истории традиционного костюма

The article is devoted to the study of postcards with images of dolls in the regional costumes of France. The visual appearance of the postcards, the nature of the images, and dolls’ garments have been analysed. The source base of the research is the author's philocartical collection, which is a part of the personal collection of ethnographic dolls "Peoples and attires". Single and serial postcards issued throughout the 20th century recorded the existence of exquisite, perfectly made miniature people, which makes these publications a historical source. Some of the postcards were printed for advertising purposes and reflected the products of a particular company; others captured museum and private collections. The postcards demonstrate a variety of regional costumes, the main details of which, although similar throughout the territory of France, differed in colour, shape or finishing details in each historical region, city, canton, and commune. A comparison of a real and a doll costume shows some conventionality of the latter and the fact that the creators focused on hats. The dolls reflect the following features of costume making: handwork, the use of natural fabrics and lace – the results of work by artisans of different specialties. With some reservations, postcards with images of costume dolls can be viewed as visual materials for studying costumes from different regions of France, as well as an important graphic source on this issue.

A Polyvocal Approach to Virtual Heritage: An Immersive Case Study

Large parts of museum collections, particularly in the Netherlands, are a legacy of the colonial past, guiding people’s societal perceptions of cultures and histories. There have been increasing efforts to ensure that museums acknowledge and reveal to visitors the multiple (e.g., cultural) meanings and contexts attached to objects in these collections. We address this as an effort to increase polyvocality . The present work contributes to the effort to emphasize, but objectively acknowledge, multiple (perhaps conflicting) perspectives attached to cultural resources. We provide a measurement to assess polyvocality amongst individuals and a case study including an adaptive, polyvocal exhibition design. The developed Virtual Reality (VR) exhibition curates the flag of Suriname (1975 - today), in which participants interactively encountered multiple perspectives on the flag’s colors and, in three different sceneries, learned how those relate to Suriname’s history. Our quantitative findings (obtained among a smaller sample of N = 20) revealed that the experience fostered a polyvocal mindset, which is supported by our qualitative analyses highlighting key polyvocal elements in the virtual environment. In sum, the present approach further explicates the polyvocality construct, proposes ways of assessing a polyvocal mindset, and recommends design principles to tailor polyvocality-enhancing VR applications.

Taxonomic Revision of the Nearctic Genus Drepanaphis Del Guercio (Hemiptera, Aphididae: Drepanosiphinae).

The Nearctic aphid genus Drepanaphis Del Guercio, 1909, the largest within the subfamily Drepanosiphinae (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is characterised by distinctive dorsal abdominal tubercles. This study presents a comprehensive taxonomic revision of the genus, expanding the recognised species to 18, including the newly described Drepanaphis robinsoni Malik sp. nov. Detailed descriptions and figures for 44 morphs, encompassing alate viviparous females, oviparous females and males, are provided, with new identification keys for all known species and morphs. The sexual morphs of 15 species, particularly oviparous females, are documented for the first time. Morphometric and principal component analyses (PCA) are employed to distinguish the studied taxa. This study identifies and corrects numerous misidentifications in museum collections, previously labelled as D. acerifoliae, D. choanotricha, D. kanzensis, D. knowltoni, D. parva, D. sabrinae or D. tissoti. Furthermore, it revalidates the distinct status of D. nigricans and D. tissoti, which had been synonymised in earlier works. Current range maps for all species and images of key morphological features obtained through light and scanning electron microscopy are also presented, providing a more complete understanding of this understudied genus.

Single-fly genome assemblies fill major phylogenomic gaps across the Drosophilidae Tree of Life.

Long-read sequencing is driving rapid progress in genome assembly across all major groups of life, including species of the family Drosophilidae, a longtime model system for genetics, genomics, and evolution. We previously developed a cost-effective hybrid Oxford Nanopore (ONT) long-read and Illumina short-read sequencing approach and used it to assemble 101 drosophilid genomes from laboratory cultures, greatly increasing the number of genome assemblies for this taxonomic group. The next major challenge is to address the laboratory culture bias in taxon sampling by sequencing genomes of species that cannot easily be reared in the lab. Here, we build upon our previous methods to perform amplification-free ONT sequencing of single wild flies obtained either directly from the field or from ethanol-preserved specimens in museum collections, greatly improving the representation of lesser studied drosophilid taxa in whole-genome data. Using Illumina Novaseq X Plus and ONT P2 sequencers with R10.4.1 chemistry, we set a new benchmark for inexpensive hybrid genome assembly at US $150 per genome while assembling genomes from as little as 35 ng of genomic DNA from a single fly. We present 183 new genome assemblies for 179 species as a resource for drosophilid systematics, phylogenetics, and comparative genomics. Of these genomes, 62 are from pooled lab strains and 121 from single adult flies. Despite the sample limitations of working with small insects, most single-fly diploid assemblies are comparable in contiguity (>1 Mb contig N50), completeness (>98% complete dipteran BUSCOs), and accuracy (>QV40 genome-wide with ONT R10.4.1) to assemblies from inbred lines. We present a well-resolved multi-locus phylogeny for 360 drosophilid and 4 outgroup species encompassing all publicly available (as of August 2023) genomes for this group. Finally, we present a Progressive Cactus whole-genome, reference-free alignment built from a subset of 298 suitably high-quality drosophilid genomes. The new assemblies and alignment, along with updated laboratory protocols and computational pipelines, are released as an open resource and as a tool for studying evolution at the scale of an entire insect family.

The taxonomic composition and chronology of a museum collection of Coleoptera revealed through large-scale digitisation

IntroductionHistoric museum collections hold a wealth of biodiversity data that are essential to our understanding of the rapidly changing natural world. Novel curatorial practices are needed to extract and digitise these data, especially for the innumerable pinned insects whose collecting information is held on small labels.MethodsWe piloted semi-automated specimen imaging and digitisation of specimen labels for a collection of ~29,000 pinned insects of ground beetles (Carabidae: Lebiinae) held at the Natural History Museum, London. Raw transcription data were curated against literature sources and non-digital collection records. The primary data were subjected to statistical analyses to infer trends in collection activities and descriptive taxonomy over the past two centuries.ResultsThis work produced research-ready digitised records for 2,546 species (40% of known species of Lebiinae). Label information was available on geography in 91% of identified specimens, and the time of collection in 39.8% of specimens and could be approximated for nearly all specimens. Label data revealed the great age of this collection (average age 91.4 years) and the peak period of specimen acquisition between 1880 and 1930, with little differences among continents. Specimen acquisition declined greatly after about 1950. Early detected species generally were present in numerous specimens but were missing records from recent decades, while more recently acquired species (after 1950) were represented mostly by singleton specimens only. The slowing collection growth was mirrored by the decreasing rate of species description, which was affected by huge time lags of several decades to formal description after the initial specimen acquisition.DiscussionHistoric label information provides a unique resource for assessing the state of biodiversity backwards to pre-industrial times. Many species held in historical collections especially from tropical super-diverse areas may not be discovered ever again, and if they do, their recognition requires access to digital resources and more complete levels of species description. A final challenge is to link the historical specimens to contemporary collections that are mostly conducted with mechanical trapping of specimens and DNA-based species recognition.

Distribution of the sand wasp Bicyrtes variegatus (Oliver, 1789) (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae) in the Galápagos Islands, with notes on its ecology

Very little is known about the sand wasp, Bicyrtes variegatus, in the Galápagos archipelago. In this study, we compiled information from surveys, museum collections and the literature to better understand its distribution and ecology. We found records of B. variegatus on seven islands with the earliest known record from 1964, from San Cristóbal Island. Wasps have been collected in the littoral, arid, transition and humid vegetation zones and have been reported visiting endemic, native, cryptogenic, and introduced plants. Sun dances and a tight cluster of wasps, similar in form to what others have called “mating balls”, were observed in the hot season.

Stamped Rhodian Amphorae in the Güray Museum: New Eponym-Fabricant Associations

Stamped amphorae and their stamps on them have been the subject of scientific studies for more than a century, and the stamped amphorae found in both archaeological excavations and museum collections have been evaluated and brought to the literature. The three complete stamped Rhodian amphorae registered in the Güray Museum inventory are the subject of this study. The aim of the study is to date the amphorae and to determine the eponyms and fabricants on the stamps on their handles. In this study, on the first amphora, the eponym Aratophanes I and the month Artamitios and the fabricant Aristokles II; on the second the eponym Aleximachos and the month Thesmophorios and the fabricant Bromios; on the last one, the eponym Timodikos and the month Sminthios and the fabricant Nysios were detected together. In this study, new eponym-fabricant associations, which were not previously identified, were detected and the use of fabricant and eponym matrices/dies together was revealed. Thus, new contributions have been made to the understanding of the Rhodian amphora stamping system and its chronology.

Tourism, Im/mobility and the University Collections in Norway, 1870–1914

This article explores the cultural collections at Det Kongelige Frederiks Universitet in Christiania (now Oslo) from the perspective of German-language tourists between the 1870s and 1914. It takes for its starting point the early history of tourism and museum collections as a story of the entanglement of the mobile and the immobile, of movement and stoppage. It argues that examining this entanglement provides insight into the complex processes of nation-building, which are formed in an interplay between tourist ascriptions and national self-images. Moreover, the museum objects’ spatial relations – the location and context in which they were exhibited – had a decisive impact on their perception and interpretation. Using guidebooks and travelogues as primary sources, the article discusses four of the most popular collections: the Viking ships, stave church portals, Sámi artefacts and objects brought back from the Gjøa expedition, in particular artefacts made by the Netsilingmiut/Nattilik.

DNA barcoding reveals a taxonomic fraud: Note on validity of Propomacrusmuramotoae (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae).

Until the early 2000s, the genus Propomacrus was known to comprise two species, occurring in the Eastern Mediterranean and Southeast China. The discovery of Propomacrusmuramotoae Fujioka in Tibet and subsequently in Bhutan and Nepal, might play a crucial role in bridging the geographical distribution gap of the Euchirini tribe between the Mediterranean and Central China, offering profound insights into its evolution and biogeography. However, all specimens, including the holotype specimen, were sourced from a single insect vendor, with no further specimens found or catalogued in museum collections thereafter. During our examination of a P.muramotoae specimen from a private collection in South Korea, we found its COI gene sequence to be identical to that of P.bimucronatus (Pallas) from Turkey, a species known for its wide distribution and genetic variability across regional populations. This overlap in genetic identity raised significant doubts, further compounded by our detection of deliberate modifications in essential diagnostic features during morphological examination. All three specimens we examined showed crude modifications, including staining and artificial grinding. Despite our inability to access the P.muramotoae type specimens for direct examination-a challenge we attempted to overcome through various means-it is evident that significant fraudulent tampering has occurred with the P.muramotoae specimens. Therefore, a new synonymy is proposed: Propomacrusbimucronatus Pallas, 1781 = P.muramotoae Fujioka, 2007 (syn. nov.). We also advocate for a straightforward verification of the type specimen through molecular analysis of the COI barcode region and morphological re-examination under a microscope for those who have access to the type specimens.

The artists’ colony of Ekensund

The Museumsberg Flensburg, a museum for art and culture at the northern border of Germany, collects especially objects of fine art made around the Flensburg Fjord. The landscape at this part of the Baltic Sea is characterized by sandy beaches, forests which grow directly at the brink of the water and smooth rising hills. The specific profile of the region became popular among landscape painters in the late nineteenth century. They founded an artists’ colony and their paintings created and spread the image of this place. Today, visitors can experience this image, which is a suggestion of maritime lifestyle and the mixture of German and Danish culture, in the picture gallery at the Museumsberg. Even tourist agencies still use photos, films and other media to advertise the fjord as an idyllic paradise for outdoor activities. Telling the history of landscape painting at the Flensburg Fjord and how these artworks became an integral part of a museum collection reveals how the image of this region was born 150 years ago and developed until today.

Anatomy of the Painting: The Study of the Serbian Orthodox Icon from the Turn of the Seventeenth to the Eighteenth Century

The paper presents the results of the multi-analytical study of the painting on a panel from the icon collection of the Gallery of Matica srpska museum in Novi Sad, Serbia. It is part of the research aiming to set the methodology for the museum’s database on artistic materials and techniques present in the collection. Computer tomography (CT) scanning was used to understand the structure of the wooden panel support. Ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IC) imaging, as well as visible (VIS) macro photography, were used to study the paint layer, both the original part and restoration treatments, as well as the coat of varnish. Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy revealed the pigments, binders, and metal leaf, defining the artistic technique. Optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were used to disclose the stratigraphy and composition of layers in the artwork. The multi-analytical approach confirmed that protein-based binder, gilding, silver leaf, and traditional pigments were used. The data gathered from this research are important for studying the artistic materials and techniques in icon production and defining the methodology setting for the museum collection’s databases as the reference material.

Global species hotspots and COI barcoding cold spots of marine Gastropoda

With the on-going efforts in digitising museum collections, increased participation of citizen scientists, and greater accessibility to research data, accurately determining global patterns of diversity has become more achievable. Here, we used occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, with annotation of authoritative taxonomy, to evaluate the taxonomic richness of marine gastropods and to identify global species hotspots for this group. We also reviewed the availability of genetic resources within hotspots to detect potentially important regions where reference sequences for identifying these organisms are wanting. We find 33,268 unique and valid species under 3291 genera belonging to 380 gastropod families that have been recorded from 1662 to 2023. Globally, only 12.1% of reported species are linked to a COI barcode, whilst 27.1% of the families are represented with complete mitogenomes. Georeferenced records show the wide albeit disparate distribution of observations and species counts. The compiled dataset, published by organisations that are restricted to 55 countries, reveal a seeming lack of local submissions, but nonetheless demonstrates the growing contribution of citizen science platforms. We present 28 marine provinces across the globe as putative gastropod species hotspots and call for further work and stronger involvement, particularly within COI barcoding cold spots, to address the observed genetic reference inequity. Lastly, we highlight the important and relevant role of open and inclusive science to biodiversity monitoring and research.

Bee monitoring by community scientists: comparing a collections-based program with iNaturalist.

Bee monitoring, or widespread efforts to document bee community biodiversity, can involve data collection using lethal (specimen collections) or non-lethal methods (observations, photographs). Additionally, data can be collected by professional scientists or by volunteer participants from the general public. Collection-based methods presumably produce more reliable data with fewer biases against certain taxa, while photography-based approaches, such as data collected from public natural history platforms like iNaturalist, can involve more people and cover a broader geographic area. Few efforts have been made to quantify the pros and cons of these different approaches. We established a community science monitoring program to assess bee biodiversity across the state of Pennsylvania (USA) using specimen collections with nets, blue vane traps, and bowl traps. We recruited 26 participants, mostly Master Gardeners, from across the state to sample bees after receiving extensive training on bee monitoring topics and methods. The specimens they collected were identified to species, stored in museum collections, and the data added to public databases. Then, we compared the results from our collections to research-grade observations from iNaturalist during the same time period (2021 and 2022). At state and county levels, we found collections data documented over twice as much biodiversity and novel baseline natural history data (state and county records) than data from iNaturalist. iNaturalist data showed strong biases toward large-bodied and non-native species. This study demonstrates the value of highly trained community scientists for collections-based research that aims to document patterns of bee biodiversity over space and time.

Fire Risk Assessment in Museums on the HERIe Web-based Decision-supporting Platform

ABSTRACT Fire statistics indicate that fire, despite significant technical progress in the field of fire protection, is a significant risk to the long-term preservation of cultural property. Management of the risk requires tools which quantitatively relate the risk of fire to the characteristics of buildings and collections and the effectiveness of fire protection measures. Such tools must be accessible to, and useful for, conservation professionals and related decision-makers. To address the challenge, a module assessing fire risk for collections in museums has been developed on the HERIe online digital decision-supporting platform using the methodology proposed by Jean Tétreault transformed into a mathematical algorithm. It takes into account building characteristics and the proportion of the collection stored in showcases, as well as the vulnerability of the collection materials to heat, combustion, smoke, and water. This information is used to forecast loss to collection value over a selected time horizon. Fire likelihood is estimated from the fire statistics available in the user’s country, area, or organization. Risks to collections associated with correct and unwanted activation of automatic fire suppression systems are also considered.

A review of the Acanthocephala of Australian bandicoots (Peramelidae), with a comment on New Guinean hosts, based on material held in the South Australian museum

ABSTRACT A total of 103 vials of acanthocephalans held in the Australian Helminth Collection of the South Australian Museum whose contents derive from 456 Australian bandicoots (Peramelidae) were examined. The number of individuals of each bandicoot species that had been examined for helminths was determined from the SAM AHC database. None of three individuals of Isoodon auratus were infected. One of 63 individuals of I. fusciventer, 23 of 127 I. macrourus, 35 of 92 I. obesulus, none of 15 Perameles bougainville, 34 of 83 P. gunnii, one of 54 P. nasuta and none of 19 P. pallescens were infected. Nine bandicoots identified only as Peramelinae were also infected. Australiformis semoni (Linstow, 1898) occurred in 78 bandicoots, Plagiorhynchus (Prosthorhynchus) cylindraceus (Goeze, 1782) in 15 bandicoots and one animal, P. gunnii, harboured both species of acanthocephalan. Australiformis semoni normally occurs in bandicoots with occasional infections reported from the brush tailed phascogale Phascogale tapoatafa (Dasyuridae) and the long nosed potoroo Potorous tridactylus (Potoroidae). Plagiorhynchus (P.) cylindraceus is usually found in passerine birds and is also an occasional parasite of bandicoots. Host diet and feeding behaviour are likely determinants of which bandicoot species harbour infection.

On the occurrence of the Dragon leech Hirudo troctina Johnson, 1816 (Annelida, Hirudinea) in Sardinia (Italy)

In recent decades, medicinal leeches of the genus Hirudo have experienced a sharp decline throughout their distribution range due to their overexploitation for medical use and habitat alteration. Such a phenomenon is not fully understood because of the complex taxonomy of the genus, which remained unsettled until the beginning of the XXI century, when the implementation of DNA taxonomy allowed for a better understanding of the diversity of the genus and the distribution ranges of Hirudo species. Only the Mediterranean medicinal leech Hirudo verbana Carena, 1820 is currently reported to occur in Italy and its major islands, although records of other Hirudo species have been reported in the literature. In this study, we report the occurrence of the Dragon leech Hirudo troctina Johnson, 1816 in Sardinia and provide its molecular characterization. In addition, based on a review of the existing literature and museum collections, we provide an ample synopsis of the available evidence regarding the occurrence of the species on the island. Hirudo troctina proved to be widespread and abundant in Sardinia during the XIX century but became rarer and rarer in the XX and XXI centuries possibly due to its overexploitation for medicinal use and export in mainland Europe, the abandonment of traditional grazing practices, and the decline of wetland habitats and amphibian populations. Currently, the only recently validated occurrence sites of the species are the water bodies of the “Giara di Gesturi”, a basaltic plateau in central-southern Sardinia. No corroborated evidence of the possible occurrence of other Hirudo species on the island was found. A better understanding of Hirudo troctina distribution in Sardinia will allow the amelioration of its protection and management practices, also under the provisions of the European “Habitats Directive”, where the H. medicinalis species complex is listed in Annex V.