The Meaning, Value, and Purpose of Things: The Evolving Idea of the Archaeological Museum Collection

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Ideas, Ethical Ideals, and Museum Practice in North American Archaeological Collections" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

In addition to being tangible heritage and a material cultural record of the archaeological past, archaeological museum collections are products of archaeological and curation practice during and after the time of their collection. Likewise, the laws, rules, and procedures that shape archaeological collection in the field and the accessioning of materials into museums and repositories are products of ideals of (or at least ideas about) archaeological practice at particular points in time. Past conceptions of the meaning, purpose, and value of archaeological collections therefore continue to shape our interactions with museum collections in the present. Unpacking these historical and evolving ideas is a valuable step in becoming better stewards of the material in our care. Collections at the Arizona State Museum—an institution with over a century of collections history as well as an active repository and a long-standing regulatory role in Arizona archaeology—serve as a case study.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Ideas, Ethical Ideals, and Museum Practice in North American Archaeological Collections   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 39116.0