EAA2021: Abstract
Abstract is part of session #495:
Title & Content
Title:
«The stones of the Ancestors»: an experience of holding a modern immersive exhibition of stone tools during a pandemic
Content:
One of the main problems of archaeological expositions dedicated to the Stone Age is the lack of appropriate background among the mass visitor. Such a high "threshold of entry" often scares off museum visitors and makes it impossible to fully enjoy the masterpieces of the prehistoric creators. With our team of archaeologists, architects, illustrators and animators we have tried to create such an exposition of ancient artefacts that could easily attract the eyes of an unprepared viewer and awaken in him a passion for search and knowledge. Unfortunately, the organization of the exhibition fell on the period of Covid 19 restrictions, which became a challenge for us. Pandemic conditions led to a decrease in the number of visitors, especially among foreigners. In addition, the need to keep social distance to a large extent defined both the "intimate" nature of the exhibition and the organization of the space on it itself.
The exhibition consists of seven stone tools in total, separated from each other in time and space. Each artefact in our exposition tells its story, opening the doors to the mysterious era when tools were made of stone.
Each object is displayed on a separate pedestal in an isolated room with individual design. This corresponds with the concept of exhibiting artefacts, transmitted by the modern socio-cultural environment through popular films, computer games and science fiction literature. Such an approach, combined with the particular music ambience as well, creates a mysterious atmosphere and feeling of importance of what is happening. In the context of a pandemic with its social distance, the exhibition acquired a special intimate character and visitors got an opportunity to find themselves "face to face" with the artefact and its history in a space filled with light and music.
The exhibition consists of seven stone tools in total, separated from each other in time and space. Each artefact in our exposition tells its story, opening the doors to the mysterious era when tools were made of stone.
Each object is displayed on a separate pedestal in an isolated room with individual design. This corresponds with the concept of exhibiting artefacts, transmitted by the modern socio-cultural environment through popular films, computer games and science fiction literature. Such an approach, combined with the particular music ambience as well, creates a mysterious atmosphere and feeling of importance of what is happening. In the context of a pandemic with its social distance, the exhibition acquired a special intimate character and visitors got an opportunity to find themselves "face to face" with the artefact and its history in a space filled with light and music.
Keywords:
archaeological exhibition, Stone Age, Science Art, light design, Covid 19, popularization
Downloads:
authors
Main authors:
Margarita Kholkina1
Co-author:
Roman Muravev1
Anastasia Directorenko2
Anna Ivitskaya3
Tatyana Korneva4
Nikolay Sevastyanov1
Fedor Mikishatyev5
Maria Yatsentkovskaya6
Ekaterina Loginova7
Anastasia Directorenko2
Anna Ivitskaya3
Tatyana Korneva4
Nikolay Sevastyanov1
Fedor Mikishatyev5
Maria Yatsentkovskaya6
Ekaterina Loginova7
Affiliations:
1 Saint-Petersburg State University
2 independant researcher
3 Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineers and Signal Corps
4 Institute for the History of Material Culture RAS
5 Scientific archive of the Russian Geographical Society
6 Saint-Petersburg State University of Film and Television
7 ITMO University
2 independant researcher
3 Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineers and Signal Corps
4 Institute for the History of Material Culture RAS
5 Scientific archive of the Russian Geographical Society
6 Saint-Petersburg State University of Film and Television
7 ITMO University