Touching distance
Finder-collector relationships with and experiences of archaeological objects
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12911541 |
|---|---|
| Authors | A Wessman (0000-0001-6886-5455, University of Bergen, corresponding author), Suzie Thomas (0000-0002-3365-0136, University of Antwerp) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 17 |
| Issue | 1-2 |
| Pages | 119-133 |
| Publication date | 2024-04-02 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Time and Mind (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1751-696X • E-ISSN: 1751-6978 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/1751696x.2024.2370832 |
| OpenAlex | W4400294416 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 26 |
Avocational metal-detectorists can be defined as finder-collectors. Many of them curate objects which they legally own. Some finder-collectors have private collections or even home museums consisting of thousands of objects, varying greatly in age. In this article we give a voice to finder-collectors by discussing the results of archaeological object interviews, an initially ethnographic method where the finder-collectors talk about a set of specifically chosen objects while engaging with them during the interview. Many finder-collectors touch and caress their objects while talking about them. It is clear that the physical act of handling the objects is an emotional process for them. According to our findings, most collected objects have a story often possessing an emotional and mnemonic character. Hence, certain objects can awaken memories from the time when they were found by their present owners; they can relate to a specific find site with connected memories of smells and other sensory experiences. And when these objects are curated or displayed these senses come into motion again. The objects in these collections might also possess imaginative stories from a more distant and mythical past, created by their present owners
Aesthetics · Archaeology · Art · Character (mathematics · Cognitive psychology · Ethnography · Mnemonic · Motion (physics · Object (grammar · Process (computing · Set (abstract data type · Style (visual arts · Visual arts · Computer Science · Conservation Techniques and Studies · Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation · History · Mathematics · Museums and Cultural Heritage · Psychology · Artificial Intelligence
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| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |