New Research on Old Collections in Southwest Asian Archaeology: Proceedings of the Workshop Held at the British Museum, London, 31 July – 2 August, 2023

New Research on Old Collections in Southwest Asian Archaeology: Proceedings of the Workshop Held at the British Museum, London, 31 July – 2 August, 2023

Edited by Mette Bangsborg Thuesen, Giulia Russo

  

Archaeopress Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology 16 

New Research on Old Collections in Southwest Asian Archaeology presents a compilation of papers by early career researchers exploring the potential and challenges of working with legacy collections which often remain overlooked in museum and archival stores. These papers stem from a workshop held at the British Museum over three consecutive days in July and August 2023 and offer different approaches to object biographies, provenance research, and the reinterpretation of well-known sites and archival material. By (re-)engaging with these overlooked materials, the volume positions research on legacy collections as a meaningful, sustainable research practice in archaeology of ancient Southwest Asia.

H 245 x W 174 mm

132 pages

28 figures, 3 tables (colour throughout)

Published Jul 2026

Archaeopress Archaeology

ISBN

Paperback: 9781805832812

Digital: 9781805832829

DOI 10.32028/9781805832812

 

Contents

List of Figures 

List of Tables  

Preface – St John Simpson

Chapter 1: Introduction – Mette Bangsborg Thuesen & Giulia Russo

 

SECTION I: UNDERSTANDING THE PRODUCTION AND USE-LIFE OF OBJECTS IN MUSEUM COLLECTIONS

Chapter 2: Writing the biography of artefacts retired in museums. A methodological approach to the study of Mesopotamian statuary – Imane Achouche

Chapter 3: A multidisciplinary approach to the study of zoomorphic figurines from Ur – Enrica Inversi

Chapter 4: Gaining clarity from old glass: Some surprising results from heritage collections at the British Museum – Charlotte Nash-Pye

 

SECTION II: RE-ASSESSING OLD DOCUMENTATION AND PERSPECTIVES ON ARCHIVAL AND COLLECTION PRACTICES

Chapter 5: Plain yet significant: The making of a new typology of unglazed pottery from Takht-e Suleiman – Mette Bangsborg Thuesen

Chapter 6: New approaches to old stratigraphy: The Sequence-of-Events analysis – Georg Cyrus

Chapter 7: ‘Basements with insatiable appetites’ - Archaeological collections, museum storerooms, and sustainability – Giulia Russo