Browsing by Author "Graham, Samantha Rebecca"

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    Classical antiquities in Durban: A study of two collections
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2016-03) Graham, Samantha Rebecca; Masters, Samantha; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Ancient Studies.
    ENGLISH SUMMARY: A recent survey has shown that there are approximately seventeen collections of classical antiquities in South African museums which fall into two main categories: museums attached to higher education institutions and public state museums. While these collections were once on display all but four of these collections are currently boxed-up and in storage. Furthermore the survey shows that the information pertaining to these collections is often lacking, unreliable or simply lost. It has been hypothesised that the disinterest in classical antiquities may have been as a result of the heritage transformation that took place in South Africa post-1994 and that, as the promotion of South African heritage has become the primary focus, more of these “Eurocentric” collections are being placed in storage. Samantha Masters‟ NRF Thuthuka-funded project has as its primary goal to research, collect data and digitise all seventeen classical antiquities collections in an electronic database. Another goal is to ascertain whether the shift in heritage policy post-1994 may have had an effect on the display of these collections. As a component of the broader Thuthuka project, this thesis examines two collections of classical antiquities held at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) and the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Museum of Classical Archaeology in Durban, in KwaZulu-Natal. It provides a digital solution for artefact conservation, preserving the data related to the artefacts and making this data accessible for future research. In addition, this thesis ascertains how these collections were acquired, and as a result, determines how and to what extent the journeys and histories of these two collections have been influenced by the shift in heritage policies. Contrary to the initial hypothesis, the examination of the history of these two Durban collections reveals that though other collections were affected by changes in heritage policy, neither of these collections was greatly influenced by heritage transformation in post-apartheid South Africa.