Historic replicas in north-west Europe: current research, future prospects

8 Jan 2020, 9.00AM–5.30PM
University of Stirling
Historic replicas in north-west Europe: current research, future prospects

This invitee-only workshop aims to bring together museum curators and heritage researchers to explore the implications of new research about the authenticity and value of replicas of historic objects, and to identify the potential for putting this into practice through shared guidelines and future research projects. The focus is prehistoric and early medieval material local to north-west Europe.

This relates to periods of the past that have often played an important role in defining local, regional and national identities in north-west Europe. These replicas therefore have specific biographical interest and story-telling potential, but this has tended to be under-researched in comparison to, for example, plaster-cast collections of Classical material. The invitees from across north-west Europe are people responsible for or interested in such collections, which include carved stone monuments.


Objectives of workshop

  1. Summarise, contextualise and review as a group the findings of recent research by Foster and Jones, University of Stirling, in relation to the authenticity, value and significance of replicas of archaeological objects.
  2. Share examples of recent research that has foregrounded replicas of north-west European material.
  3. Introduce, review and reflect on draft guidance on working with replicas (co-produced by museum and heritage curators, along with researchers, at an earlier workshop).
  4. Map and characterise the nature and potential of the resource that comprises replicas made of objects from / monuments in north-western Europe.
  5. Explore how this material and its research potential is distinct from replicas of Classical or other more familiar replicas (e.g. architectural sculpture).
  6. Identify collections / research themes offering greatest potential value (cultural and instrumental), remembering possible linkages to replicas on or comprising heritage sites.
  7. Identify synergies and interest in developing and taking forward research projects relating to the above.

 

09:00-09:25

Registration and coffee

09:25-09:35

Welcome, introductions, our objectives

Dr Sally Foster, University of Stirling

09:35-09:55

Presentation: Perspectives on authenticity

Professor Siân Jones, University of Stirling

09:55-10:15

Presentation: Historic replicas of archaeological material – where are we starting from, where could we go?

Dr Sally Foster, University of Stirling

10:15-10:45

Facilitated group discussions and feedback: what sorts of collections do we have / are we interested in? Where are they and what are their characteristics (subject, date of creation, motivations for creation, scale of collections, survival history etc)? How are these distinct from collections of Classical replicas, and other material that has tended to be well studied?

10:45-11:00

Coffee break

11:00-11:20

Presentation: Even better than the real things? The role and appreciation of prehistoric and early historic replicas in the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden

Dr Luc W.S.W. Amkreutz, Curator Prehistory of the Netherlands, National Museum of Antiquities, Netherlands

11:20-11:40

Presentation: To be confirmed

Dr Maeve Sikora, Keeper of Irish Antiquities, National Museum of Ireland

11:40-12:30

Facilitated group discussions and feedback: what sorts of values and authenticity attach to the replicas we care for or are interested in?

12:30-13:30

Lunch

13:30-14:00

Presentation of ethnographic case study and what this tells us about authenticity, value and significance of replicas of archaeological objects

Dr Sally Foster and Professor Siân Jones

14:00-15:00

Implications: group discussions of draft guidance for museum and heritage practitioners (to be pre-circulated) and feedback

15:00-15:15

Tea break

15:15-16:45

Break-out sessions to identify collections /research themes offering greatest research potential and identify synergies and interest in developing and taking forward research projects.

16:45-17:30

Concluding discussion / complete evaluation for workshop

Optional

Continue the discussion over drinks and dinner


For more information, please contact Dr Sally Foster s.m.foster@stir.ac.uk

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