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Adornment, Identity, and Authenticity: Ancient Jewelry in and out of Context

Adornment, Identity, and Authenticity: Ancient Jewelry in and out of Context

AJA Online Publications: Museum Review

Adornment, Identity, and Authenticity: Ancient Jewelry In and Out of Context

By Megan Cifarelli*

Masterpieces of Ancient Jewelry: Exquisite role of jewelry in the construction of gendered, Objects from the Cradle of , religious, social, and cultural identity. The Field Museum of Natural History, Very little of the ancient jewelry in museum Chicago, 13 February–5 July 2009, curated collections came to light through controlled ex- by Judith Price. cavations because of the manner in which most 19th- and early 20th-century collections were formed. While most of these objects entered While ancient jewelry is a feast for the eyes, collections legally, and may in fact be genuine, it presents significant challenges to scholarly without archaeological documentation it is interpretation. Personal adornment has long simply not possible to confirm their authentic- been marginalized in the study of ancient ity beyond a doubt. This lack of contextual , perhaps because it resists the types of information and assurance of authenticity does inquiry that illuminate monumental architec- not eliminate, but does curtail, the interpretive ture and works of . Its “context of original potential of these pieces.2 Regardless of one’s intention”—usually on the body of the living position on the scholarly value of unexcavated person for whom it was made—eludes archae- pieces, their presence in museum collections is ologists.1 A portable form of wealth, jewelry is a reality and a challenge that curators ought to easily transferred among families, passed down confront with the utmost honesty and integrity, for generations, squirreled away in hoards, and practicing full disclosure about both excavated moved across long distances. It is too valuable and unexcavated objects. By helping visitors to be left behind when a site is abandoned understand precisely what is and is not known and is an asset that can be literally liquidated about both the contexts of original intention and in times of crisis. It is, however, frequently discovery of ancient jewelry, museums can en- included in burials and occasionally offered gage visitors more actively in the interpretation to the gods in foundation deposits. Unless the of these precious objects. In the absence of such jewelry is specifically designed for funerary mediation, visitors admiring ancient jewelry use, however, the burial setting (the typical in museums can only respond to its aesthetic archaeological context for its discovery) may qualities and to the allure of valuable materials be quite far removed in time and place from and technical virtuosity—the very attributes

merica its maker and intended wearer. The contextual that attract shoppers in jewelry stores. information uncovered and preserved through While this review focuses on the second controlled excavations provides clues about venue of Masterpieces of Ancient Jewelry, at the Online Museum Review intercultural connections, the history of tech- Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, a nology, the use of jewelry as talismans, and the different version of this exhibition, also curated nstitute of A I nstitute rchaeological

* I am most grateful to Museum Review Editor for ancient jewelry: its present situation; the physical Beth Cohen, Lisa Rafanelli, and Kim Benzel for the setting in which it was recovered; and most impor- care with which they reviewed this manuscript and tant, the world of the maker and intended wearer, for their many helpful comments and suggestions. which he refers to as “original intent.” opyright © 2010 by the A © 2010 by opyright ssue 114.1 (January 2010) 1 2 I Journal of ArchaeologyAmerican C Rudolph (1996) identifies three types of contexts Simpson 1999.  American Journal of Online Museum Review by Judith Price of the National Jewelry Insti Jewelry National the of Price Judith by ton University Art Museum 1997, 61–2). sincebeenreturned theRepublicto Italyof(Prince- to the Princeton University Art Museum in 1995 has 1995-129)thatthe Aboutaam brothersgift a gave as been accused of any illegality. narrative of the history of Near Eastern jewelry.descriptivecompaniona volumewitha alogue but museum conducted the excavations 1933, in and conjunction 1923 Between visitors. of tion scholarly research and the responsible educa able institution whose mission focuses on both public, includingcollectors. the of eyes covetous the for goodies wrought ing more than a treasure trove of spectacularly issues turns these “exquisite objects” into noth The evident lack of consideration of contextual production.its in used materials valuable the and jewelry Islamic and Byzantine, Near Eastern, ancient of craftsmanship and beauty the celebrate exhibition the and publication Testament. Old the and jewelry the of strange associations between the iconography information historical of interpretations mis with rife and unscholarly, was descriptive, that exhibition an reflects publication accompanying The market. the on acquired those and excavations controlled in found objects between distinction no making authenticity, and origin of issues eschewed exhibition York New the that wonder no is objects ofquestionableorigin. to linked been have Phoenix and ties, Antiqui Atlantis in Hecht Robert embattled the of partner a was who collector antiquities and socialites—Jonathan Rosen, a well-known philanthropists, jewelers, couture to addition for the exhibition,” Council International the of Chairmen “Vice that accompanied the New York show lists the publication The collections. private and Art, Ancient Phoenix dealership antiquities the Museum, Israel the Museum, Art Princeton Museum, the Staatliche Museen in , the the of Art, Museum Metropolitan the in with objects assembled from Galleries Forbes the at earlier appeared tute, 6 5 4 3 The Field Museum, by contrast, is a vener it council, this of composition the Given Rosen has not, to this reviewer’s knowledge, ever Price2008, 7.Price (2008) isnot traditionala cat These include incorrect statements such as “In as suchstatementsincorrect include These .. a Ersa acietrl eif iv no. (inv. architectural Etruscan an E.g., 4 and the Aboutaam family, who own own who family, Aboutaam the and 3 whose names include—in 5 7 6 The The and ------

curators and researchers. Although official official Although researchers. and curators their to challenges considerable posed have must it and puzzling, therefore is exhibition accept part of the National Jewelry Institute’s chaeological pedigree. The museum’s choice to the Field Museum has earned a substantial ar of ancient material such as exhibitions innovative wonderful, creationof Kish excavations. dispersed objects and haphazard records of the Karen Wilson to bring together and analyze the national scholarly effort under the direction of is rectifying through the Kish Project, an inter been Museum Field the that never situation a published, has Kish for report site final A objects. excavated the of portion a acquired Museum, Iraq the and Museum Ashmolean the with along Museum, Field the time, the at practice the was As Iraq. central in C.E.), Mesopotamian site of Kish (ca. 3200 B.C.E.–800 with the University of Oxford at the important html). (http://www.fieldmuseum.org/kish/index.lection seumofNatural History’s Web site onthe Kish Col the Phoenicians.” theme of life and the Garden of “TheEden . . . comments, is typical of influence,” Spanish with brooch (Price 2008, ”37). it renamed and quered northerntheruler,B.C.2300 SargonGreat,thecon iconog and methods, materials, emphasizes that text straightforward with replaced been have references Testament Old odd labels, case and panels wall the In objects.Egyptian as well as excavations, Kish the of fruits the particularlycollections,own Museum’sField the from jewelry with supplemented is tion exhibi the whereChicago, in absent are tion and collections featured in the original exhibi and design. Many of the most dubious objects and the messages communicated through text wrought through changes to both the checklist Jewelry cient more drasticoverhaul. and its audience would have benefited from a exhibition below,the detailed is as ertheless, ably and should be lauded for doing so. Nev informational level of the exhibition consider and intellectual the raise to managed Wilson Karen and Phillips James curators Museum Field Price, to only given is credit curatorial 8 7 This transformation of transformation This E.g., Price (2008, 65), in discussing a “Phoenician For a completebibliography,Mu Fielda the For see in its second venue has been been has venue second its in 8 Through this project and the Inside Ancient Masterpieces of An- of Masterpieces ------,

 American Journal of Archaeology Online Museum Review raphy.TheChicago exhibition, however, does A possible parallel from Ur is found in Aruz et al. et Aruz in found is Ur fromparallelpossible A pl. 43). FieldMuseum,inv. 225833no.(Mackay 1929, 8, fig. from and the Indus Valley; and lapis from from , Iran, and Egypt; and carnelian were imported as raw materials: they were difficult to obtain. Gold,because lapisbut lazuli, beauty their for just not valued were they that suggesting locally, available tion text indicates, none of these materials was lazuli, carnelian, shell, and . As the exhibi silver,gold, aslapis suchmaterials of use the mation,theprimary focus theofcase labels is the deceasedandtheirfamilies. role of jewelry in establishing the identities of the role of these objects as and the it eliminates a valuable opportunity to discuss for regrettable, is case display this in mation The omission of documented contextual infor fromIraq. coming as jewelry the characterize merely They excavations. from which come objects specify they do nor Kish, of site the the case and object labels here do not mention third- the ­millennium B.C.E. of cemeteries at Kish, because excavations the from jewelry are not aware that this case primarily features Visitorsdisappointment. a and exhibition the magnifiers for close inspection of tiny objects. details without casting shadows, and installed illuminateto carefullightingobjects,selected ers used well-made mounts, color to highlight Islamicgroup.Within grouping,eachdesign the to order chronological loose a in gallery wrappingaroundMesopotamiathewithand arranged in a clockwise progression, beginningare groupsregional The Kish. of excavations videokioskthat focusthe Fieldon Museum’s center of the gallery goes to the sixth case and the in place of Pride Islamic. and Egyptian, or regional: Mesopotamian, Levantine, Persian, a separate case. Five of these groups are cultural1). The objects are in six groups, each occupying dialogue between the visitors and the objects. ultimately fails to facilitate a more meaningful vated, what is known and not known, and thus object labels—between the in what is excavated and unexca distinguish—particularly not 11 10 9 Inthe absence ofdetailed contextual infor The case is both a highlight of beautifullyexhibitionTheisdesigned (fig. Aruz et al. 2003, 239–50. See Aruz et al. (2003, 392, cat. no. 279) for a belt. FromKish,MoundBurial A, Chicago,A51; the - - - - -

ing of gold tubes,goldlapisofbiconicallazuliing in and consist and era period/Akkadian Early Dynastic late the of typical beads of grouping symmetrical a is it case; Mesopotamia the in highlighted museum is “necklace” such One and displays. scholars by perpetuated are reconstructionshypothetical these and tions, reconstruc the for rationale any articulating without “necklaces” reconstructed as beads lost.Excavators oftenhavepublished finds of theiroriginal arrangements havelargely been strung on now-missing organic materials, and tion visitors the great distances involved. trade routes, which would illustrate for exhibi the origins of these materials and their probable wishes that this case included a map showing ValleyIndus atcraftedwerelikely sites. tubes, biconical long, and alkali with etched Af ghanistan. Two now types is of carnelian what beads, those of region Badakhshan the pl. 32. Balahcemetery, see Dothan 1979, 1–4; Ben-Tor 1992, 2003, 132, cat. no. 80. elry as exemplifying Canaanite appropriation diplomatic correspondence. of tablets found in Egypt that feature ments such as the Amarna archive—a collection through archaeology, the visual , and docu evidencedas Aegean, the andEgypt, Levant, amongpolitiesinAnatolia, Mesopotamia, the era of particularly intense intercultural relations and 13th centuries B.C.E. (Late Age), an jewelry in this group has been dated to the 14th the Gaza Strip (ancient Canaan). originating in the cemetery at Deir el-Balah on a number of the objects are well documented as light through controlled excavations, although al trade and travel. None of these items came to Sea. This region served as a nexus of vant, internationon the eastern coast of the Mediterranean necklaces. were tubes used for hip carnelian and waist girdles weighty rather than these that suggest parallelsfromMohenjo Daropossibly and Ur Despite the persistent necklace reconstruction, lian lentoids etched with a white ring (fig. 2). etchedplainandcarnelian barrels, carneand globular forms, long biconical carnelian tubes, 13 12 Much of this jewelry was fashioned of beads Case labels describe the Deir el-Balah jew el-Balah Deir the describe labels Case Thenext case features jewelry from the Le On this remarkable period, see Aruz 2008. For the attribution of these objects to the Deir el- 11 13 12 Much of the 9 One 10 ------

 American Journal of Archaeology Online Museum Review 93; Musche 2009, 188. Cornflower: Andrews 1990, fig. rael, and Cyprus. factsexcavated LateatBronze Agesites ,in Is 1937, 84, pl. 15). MuséeLouvre,du inv. nos. 19037,AO 19080; Parrot 236and119 (Middle Assyrian)Mari,atSyria (, el-Balah (Dothan 1979, 43, figs. 99–102, 107–8), Tombs 90.87.426, 71.60.222. shape distinctive this of origin and tification the Levantand Aegean. bronze rods found at Late sites in and ivory tiny for finials as occurs shape pod Assur. and Egypt from come beads similar Syria; in Mari at and Levant, southern the in sites Age Bronze Late many at el-Balah, Deir at excavations controlled in appear pendants pod carnelian flared Identical tip. or floral a and body, rounded stem, short shapes—a “pod” pendant and round el-Balah. Deir from necklaces two by provided is ity complex this explore to opportunity ity.An ambigu with fraught and complex more far interculturalis of contact age this in situation the reality in but matter, subject Egyptian of 17 16 15 14 The scholarly disagreement about the iden Fig. 1.InstallationviewoftheexhibitioninBookerGallery(©TheFieldMuseum ofNaturalHistory). Levantine examples come from Tomb 116 at Deir Lotus seed: Dothan 1979, 43; Andrews 1990, fig. SeeWard (2003, 533–34, table 1) for similar arti euae, h Ire Msu, n. o. IMJ nos. inv. Museum, Israel the Jerusalem, 14 Both feature carnelian beads in in beads carnelian feature Both 16 15 Finally, this this Finally, - - - - - bead type imported from the Indus region. Caubetand Yon(1996), however, origins.propose that Egyptianit is a having as characterized is vant, Ward 2003. Tombs 119 and 236 at Mari. frombeadspossibilitythe thisraiserespect withto Caubet and Yon 2006, 41. 27. origin of point interpretationand its to respect with type—ambiguous artifact pear in ancient texts as well. ap plants these and region, this throughout opium archaeologically and identified been poppy—has pomegranate, species—lotus, beads. poppy, raising a fascinating possibility for the opium an of capsule the as excavation wreck ship Uluburun the in discovered finial ivory calyx. the indicating projection the with pomegranate, a represents it Aegean, the or Mesopotamia cornflower. or seed lotus a representing as shape this identify Levant scholarly orientation is toward Egypt and the whose Those milieu. this of art the standing under largerto of challenges symptomatic is 21 20 19 18 Pulak 1994, 12–13. Caubet and Yon (2006, 142) also Merrillees 1962, 287–92; Harer 1985; Merlin 2003; This bead type, while most common in the Le thetype,commonwhilebeadmostThisin art 97 8; mewh 18; Ward 2003; 1989; Immerwahr 84; 1937, Parrot 19 Botanical evidence for all three plant three all for evidence Botanical 18 Pulak identifies a pod-shaped pod-shaped a identifies Pulak 17 To those based in based those To 20 This ambiguous 21 —emerges - - - -  American Journal of Archaeology Online Museum Review and proliferates at the precise moment of in of moment precise the at proliferates and m f ieAt) Msh 20, 8, l 10 n. 5 Muse no. 110, pl. 281, (, 2009, Musche Arts); Fine 174 of um Museum), Bastan Iran ran, inv. no. 2003.379–80. trate the astonishing flexibility of this medium, such as ; and in their variety, they illus here are made of composite, vitreous materialsdisplayed objects the of Many iconography. This case continues the focus on materials and for the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893. preparation in market the on acquired was it Field Museum’s own collections, and much of infamous for modern forgeries. andmetalwork for famousregion a Luristan, of provinceIranianwestern the fromcoming bronze disk-headed pins labeled specifically as excavation. controlledfroma comehave toappears none qués are found in collections around the world, appliidentical of examplesnumerous While “glitter.”this illustrate heads lions’ of form vations, Pasargadae amply supports Herodotus’ and obser , , at capitals Persian the in excavatedwealthFabulous persons.” their gold, vast quantities of which they wore about with over all glittered they . . . magnificence Xerxes’ troops “were adorned with the greatest historian Herodotus’ (7.83) comment that King cosmopolitan; the case text includes the Greek menid Persians was notoriously luxurious and the Great in 331 B.C.E. The court of the Achae century B.C.E. until its conquest by Alexander ruled the ancient Near East from the late sixth Persian empire, the Iranian territorial state that Achaemenidthe to style, of basis the on ably prob dated, are these of Most Iran. ancient to ascribed jewelryunexcavated of examples Bronze Age society. Late in plants psychoactive of role the with and the intriguing possibility of its association motif single a of complexity and richness the explore to visitors allowing by exhibition the of artistic interaction in this era visitors in the scholarly debate over the nature the region. The point is not to engage museum tensive diplomatic and economic exchange in 25 24 23 22 The Egyptian jewelry is drawn from the the from drawn is jewelry Egyptian The The next major group is the slimmest: a few See Curtis and Tallis 2005. Feldman 2006; Harmansah 2008. E.g., Maxwell-Hyslop 1971, 211, pls. 173 (Teh173 pls.211, Maxwell-Hyslop1971, E.g., rneo, rneo Uiest At Museum, Art University Princeton Princeton, 23 and the two golden appliqués in the 25 Also in this group is a pair of large, 22 but to enhance 26 24 ------

no. 228533(©TheFieldMuseumofNaturalHistory). A51. Chicago, the Field Museum ofBurial NaturalA, Mound History,Kish, Iraq, inv.from B.C.E., millennium third mid cm, 14.3 lgth. necklace, a as restored beads, gold and lazuli, lapis carnelian, Mesopotamian 2. Fig. excavated. reality,in never, were that sites” archaeological of the Hamadan source as an example of the “creation 5742.9.53, 2026.66. Muscarella (2000, 15–16) refers to (“Aufnahschmuck”) (Chicago, Oriental Institute). juxtaposed with an excavation photograph of from the New Kingdom (1550–1069 B.C.E.) are ate period (1069–664 B.C.E.) and a heart scarab faience broad collar from the Third Intermedi blue Adesign. case the in role a plays it but not addressed explicitly in the exhibition text, safe transition of the deceased to the next life is body played a significant role in ensuring the the of adornment that notion The contexts. funerary from derived objects these of unexcavated most that likely is it practices, ary period. 18th Dynasty, particularly during the Amarna multirowed collars of a type known in the later openwork, in elements were certainly almost are strung together as a simple necklace, they pendants vegetal these While 3). (fig. fronds palm green bright and bunches grape blue deep example, for forms: plant different ing The objects include a group of beads represent an inexpensive substitute for precious stones. of possible colors, which allowed it to serve as both in its ability to be shaped and in the range 27 26 Because of the nature of Egyptian mortu Egyptian of nature the of Because See, e.g., Frankfort 1929, 148, pl. 27.2. euae, h Ire Msu, n. nos. inv. Museum, Israel the Jerusalem, 27 - - -  American Journal of Archaeology Online Museum Review odn t te ae, t oe fo Od Bethpage, Old from comes it label, the to cording no. 238009. 31261. Heart scarab: Chicago, the Field Museum, inv. twistedping“scales”ofusewirethe and and of loops of twisted wire in the shape of overlap pattern created by the applicationreticulated a to with theencrusted surfaceis body formed 4). (fig. terning pat surface and volume, three-dimensional forms, natural between dialogue Islamic the figurine of a goat provides a lovely example of Iran.Mesopotamia,Levant,Aand gold small eighth to 16th centuries and are attributed to objects the date, according to the case labels, to the in the case dedicated to the Islamic world. The phisticatedobjects theinexhibition are found have enrichedthisinclusionimmeasurably. would jewelry antique of collections many text detailing the problem of forgeries among forgery. 20th-century early an is it that indicates clearly label the B.C.E.; 1236–1223 of ruler Kingdom Middle a ptah,” gold finger ring with the cartouche of “Merne their beliefs. An interesting item in this case is and a buried were they whom with people the to tangibly more objects the connect text ing objects. these with situ in Tutankhamun of body the 29 28 Field MuseumofNaturalHistory). History,Natural The of inv.(© Museum 31261 Field no. the Chicago, B.C.E.). (1550–1069 Kingdom New cm, 19 lgth. necklace, a restoredas leaves, palm and clusters grape of shape the in beads faience Egyptian 3. Fig. The most dazzling and technologicallydazzlingandmost so The Chicago,the Field Museum, inv. no. 239002; ac olr Ciao te il Msu, n. no. inv. Museum, Field the Chicago, Collar: 28 The photograph and the accompany 30 The animal’s naturalisticallyanimal’s The 29 An explanatory explanatory An ------(quoted in Shalem 2002). New York, in the early 20th century. for what is apparent...... and not display of their adornment except eyes their restrain they that believers female pertain to the adornment of women: “Tell the that (24:31) Qur’an the in passages few the of one mind to brings immediately It motion. in and potentially quite noisy when the wearer is dants or bells, which appears to be very heavy by an enormous silver anklet, with several pen example of such a lost opportunity is provided jewelry.An Islamic of function religious and dress explicitly the social, cultural, talismanic, ad not do texts label and case the exhibition, eval Islamic writer Ibn al-Zubayr. Caliph al-Mutawakkil, according to the medi asthe one presented to the ninth-century C.E. an element in a precious sculptural group such point or loop for suspension, it may have been four hooves, and there is no visible attachment clear whether the figurine can stand on its own filled with delicate granulation. While it is not and wire gold twisted in outlined are which animals, horned three silhouettes of are flank animal’s the on filigree the of design the in rows of granules to define contours. Embedded 31 30 As is true throughout the other parts of the Jerusalem, the Israel Museum, inv. no. 97.95.28. b al-Zubayr Ibn ia al-Dhakha’ir Kitab And that they not stamp 93, h 33 ch. 29–30, 31 - - -

 American Journal of Archaeology Online Museum Review a rcnl sgetd ht h supue n the and the that suggested recently has Sasanianroyalimages,Kawami(pers. comm.2009) Whilemany features of this bust are consistent with designed installation focusing on the Field Mu the itemsdepicted. of value historical the from detracts restored heavily been has relief the that fact the ever, how jewelry; of featuresdepiction artistic an 5). This is the only object in the exhibition that and two double-rowed beaded necklaces (fig. ruler wearing a crown, pendant earrings, enth centuries C.E. It depicts the bust of a male of the ancient Near East from the third to sev empire, an Iranian empireSasanian the thatof controlledstyle the in much created is which from a first-millennium C.E. building at Kish, here is a magnificent stucco architectural relief Field Museum’s Kish excavations. On display the highlighting kiosk video small a and case the center of the gallery, consists of a two-sided realized through soundaswellvision. was wearer the of body the to attention ing eyes, in the past, jewelry’s potential for draw the for primarily designed is jewelry modern jects such as the anklet, reminds us that while they hide their feet to give knowledge of the adornment which inv. no.97.95.28(©TheIsraelMuseum). 12th–13th centuries C.E. Jerusalem, the Israel Museum, filigree and granulation, with decorated ht. goat 10.6 a cm, of datedfigurine bygold styleIslamic to4. the Fig. 33 32 On the reverse side of this case is a cleverly in placed exhibition, the in group last The Quoted in Stowasser 1994, 92 (emphasis added). hcg, h Fed uem iv n. 236400. no. inv. Museum, Field the Chicago, .” 32 This statement, in concert with ob 33 - - - - - no. 236400 (© The Field Museum of Natural History). Kish. Chicago, the Field Museum of Natural History, inv.a king, ht. 52 cm, seventh–eighth centuriesFig. 5.C.E., Sasanian-style from stuccoIraq, architectural relief depicting Field Museum, inv. no. 230026. (seventh–eighth centuries C.E.). polityin central Iraq during the Ummayad Dynasty ChristianArab Lakhmids,a the to belongbuilding origin and function, and the resulting display ac companied exhibition by detailed the information in about ones their only the are case careful exposure oftinyobjects. the fromcrewsto away site earth the moving work large the from era, that of techniques archaeological of range the show well to selected been has which excavations, 1928 the from loop brief a showing kiosk video small and silver. carnelian, lazuli, lapis in beads of up made is similar to the one highlighted in the drawing, quite is nearby,which display on “necklace” —around the neck and hips of the deceased. A jewelry the of findspots the color in lighting high and goods grave of arrangement the as well as remains skeletal the illustrating Y463, Grave of drawing detailed a includes display been excavated in the A and Y cemeteries. This potamian case, are labeled explicitly as having drop to objects that, unlike those in the Meso back the forms season 1930 the during taken mentary photograph of the Y sounding at Kish docu enlarged An Kish. at cemeteries B.C.E. seum’s excavation of the mid third 34 These few objects in the Kish excavations Kish the in objects few These From Kish, Cemetery A, Grave A93; Chicago, the 34 Immediately behind this case is a - millennium - - - - -

 American Journal of Archaeology Online Museum Review is richer and more nuanced than the rest of of rest the than nuanced more and richer is of the ways one differentiates jewelry worn worn jewelry differentiates one ways the of man dimension is interpreted. hu The elucidation this which by processes intellectual the excellent opportunity to lead visitors through an provides example, for contexts, mortuary nuanced discussion of jewelry in documented artifact. Agendered morea as jewelry of role have largely remained unexplored, as has the and the materials from which they are created objects these of function magical or amuletic or “taste” beliefs, of the owner, religious so did status, ancient jewelry. marital gender, The wealth, the communicates jewelry modern as Just context. human identity—its of struction personal adornment as an element in the con notion ofartistic“influence.” amorphous an of and ancient of tion can reinforce the misapprehension of the isola connections intercultural about information interaction. Segregation without supplemental for evidence provide that groupsdifferent in objects the between clearly more drawn be could Connections them. among interactions economic and cultural, political, artistic, explication of without entities cultural or cal geographi discrete into objects of grouping from”) provided by dealers. ) or anecdotal information (“said to be particularlysupposedterialsbutLuristanthe basis of style (all the Iranian and Egyptian ma tributed to a particular region or culture on the merelyareothersat thatel-Balah), (Deir and origin of documentedpointshave do but not cavations (the Kish materials), that some were some objects were discovered in controlled ex and context. It should be made crystalorigin object’s an clearabout known thatis much how the very least, object labels should distinguish does not come from a controlled excavation. At it if authentic—evenmore informative, more seum visitors, it can be more—more evocative, meansofthe nature ofits presentation tomu jewelry is exquisite indeed but in most cases, by they saw. more closely at the objects, and discussed what visitors stopped far longer at this case, looked revealedthat space this in observation casual successful, more information—is contextual providing or objects the ­decontextualizing approach— which determine conclusively could evaluation summative While formal a only combined. materials exhibition the Finally, one must consider the role of of role the consider must one Finally, the by raised is issue contextual Asecond As the exhibition’s subtitle suggests, ancient ------to the public, did not take further steps to do so are capable of communicating complex content they that elsewheredemonstrated have who disappointing that this institution and its bit staff, a is It objects. new introducing and texts timeand resources to rewriting the exhibition cepted this flawed exhibition and devoted some York iteration. The Field Museum, however, ac Ancient Jewelry of shortcomings the attribute rich treatment of the Kish-specific displays, to issues theyentail. epistemological the of discussion a in visitors engage to critical more even is it trickier, is objects unexcavated with dealing Although drawn. are conclusions how is and what assumed, known, be cannot what known, is graves depends in on clear presentation of what jewelry of deposits ritual and burial, for specifically created adornment life, daily in Curtis, J., and N. Tallis.2005. N. and J., Curtis, de perles Yon.M. “Quelques and 2006. Caubet, A., Ben-Tor,1992. A. Aruz, J., K. Benzel, and J. Evans. 2003. 2008. J. Aruz, 1990. C. Andrews, [email protected] purchase, new manhattanville college department of presented to the public. how this important excavated material will be Field Museum, and we look forward to seeing the atworks the in be to saidmaterial isKish the present. A major exhibition dedicated to the windows into the past through media alive in open museum—they a in objects as context original intention, of discovery, and the modern displays put objects in context—the context of museuminstallationwhen demonstrates that throughout this exhibition. The exemplary Kish It is tempting, given the sophisticatedand the giventempting, is It Press. World of Ancient Persia. Eisenbrauns. Ind.: Lake, Winona 461–75. Miroschedjii, P.De in Honor of Amihai Mazar cornaline.” In Haven: Yale UniversityPress. of Art. Cities Metropolitan Museumof Art. macy in the Second Millennium B.C York: HarryN. Abrams. . New York: The Metropolitan Museum Museum Metropolitan The York: New . Beyond : Art, Trade and Diplo Tradeand Art, Babylon: Beyond york at the Field Museum to its New Works Cited Archaeological and Historical Studies Archaeology of Ancient Israel Ancient of Archaeology nin Eyta Jewelry Egyptian Ancient London: , edited by A. Maeir and Forgotten Empire: The Empire: Forgotten Masterpieces of of Masterpieces . New York: The Art of the First . New New . . New . - -  American Journal of Archaeology Online Museum Review Dothan, T. 1979. T. Dothan, Merrillees, R.S. 1962. “Opium Trade in the Bronze the Tradein “Opium 1962. R.S. Merrillees, Merlin, M.D. 2003. “Archaeological Evidence for the 1971. K.R. Maxwell-Hyslop, Mackay, E. 1929. Vase:Immerwahr,Pomegranate “The 1989. S.A. Its Harmansah, O. 2008. Review of Biological and Harer,“Pharmacological W.B.1985. the on Report “Preliminary 1929. H. Frankfort, Feldman, M. 2006 Age Levant.” World.” Old the in Use Plant Psychoactive Traditionof c. 3000 History. etery Origins andContinuity.” ArtB BCE 1400–1200 East, Near cient Luxury Arts and an “International Style” in the An 49–54. Lotus.” Egyptian the of Properties 143–49. 1928–9.” El-Amarnah, at Excavations Chicago Press. BCE 1400–1200 East, Near Ancient the in Style” “International an and el-Balah . 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