Material Culture Tutorial
Material Culture is a valuable source of historic evidence. Objects can provide a great deal of information; they record a variety of social, cultural, and physical history. The challenge to using material culture is in the ability to interpret the creator's and user's construction process, style, beliefs, and values. When using material culture as historical evidence it is important to understand the era in which the object was created, the artist who created it (both personally and professionally), the purpose for which it was created, and, as with most sources, have additional research from other media to support your argument.
Researching
Both history and art museums hold material culture (also referred to as artifact and object) collections that vary in size, material, period, and subject. Each museum has its own set of policies and procedures, so be sure to check with the institution before assuming there is access to the collection. Remember the following when researching material culture:
- Locate a museum that has a collection pertaining to your topic -- museums with extensive collections on a particular topic will publish a book or catalog of the collection. Objects can be found at institutions near the place where the event took place, but it is just as likely to be located in distant museums that specialize in a particular genre or event. State and National museums typically have extensive material culture collections. If they do not have what you are looking for they may be able to direct you to a local museum that does. Archives and libraries may also have reproductions of two-dimensional objects for research and preservation purposes. Most of these institutions have a web site that will allow you to search their collections and provide directions and contact information.
- Locate the objects in the institution's on-line catalog (if available) or contact the museum's curator to find more information. Be sure to record the collection number and the name of the curator you spoke with for future reference.
- Find out if there is a collection file associated with the artifact. Museums collect information and research pertaining to the artifacts from very specific to general levels. Collections files have valuable family histories, artist information, how the object was obtained by the organizations and who owned it in the past -- such information may give you further clues for research and understanding.
- Be sure to find documentation proving the place, date, and persons involved in the creation of the object. Do not assume that a collection file contains all available information on an object. Look for related objects and oral histories that can add further information.
- Be sure to thoroughly inspect the object. Record the material(s) the object is made of, how it works, marks, stains, chips and broken parts, etc. Do not ignore the obvious; it can be very easy to get caught up in the details and forget about the overall picture.
- Ask the curator if a photograph or digital image is available. Record the place where you found the object and the collection number -- you may need to study the artifact again and if you use the object in a publication you will need this information to properly cite the source.
- While handling and inspecting any object be sure to respect it and the rules of the institution that houses it. Do not touch the object unless it is absolutely necessary. If you do need to touch the object, ask permission from the curator and get help.
Interpreting Material Culture
While objects may present a wealth of information, they can also be difficult to interpret, especially if there is no supporting documentation to explain or identify the creator, user, or the object's purpose. There are many clues that can help you read an artifact, including:
- Ask yourself why this object was made and how large and small details explain what the object was used for and how it was used. Was it decorative or functional? Did the owner adjust the object to his or her own needs or preferences?
- Look at the style(s) in which the object was created. There are several books and catalogs that can be consulted to find a specific style and an approximate date.
- Look for symbolism. Symbols can give clues to the place and date of an object. Symbolism can be international, national, or local. Symbols can also be specific to ethnic groups, nationalities, religious groups, and social classes, but may also have been adopted by others. These symbols can tell historians a great deal about what was socially and culturally important to the people associated with the object.
- Record obvious characteristics of the object such as the material(s) use in construction, the number of parts, how they fit together and if any pieces are missing.
- Also record details such as stains, chips and cracks, marks created by the artist or owner, and signs of wear and damage. These details may provide information about how, where, and why the object was used.
- Was the object is associated with a special occasion? Many people have specific objects that are only used during weddings, deaths or other special events. Also, artists may have incorporated artwork in the object that symbolizes or is symbolic of an event, an identity or a subject (e.g. a person or family's social class, history, ethnicity, etc.)
- Look for supplementary information in photographs, articles, letters, journals, and other primary sources that support the object in question. One object may prove to be a contradiction, but it does not necessarily prove a thesis by itself.
Exercise
Using the object at the upper right of this page, try to draw some conclusions about the owner and the creator. Consider the following:
- What is the object? How was it used?
- Does the object fit into a particular style? Is the style associated with a specific time period, geographic region, or ethnic, religious, or racial group?
- Exactly, what characteristics can be used to identify the object?
- What material(s) is the object constructed with? Was the material expensive or rare? How did the creator or owner obtain the material?
- If you have identified the style or creator, what other information can you find on that style or person?
- Does the object contain symbols? Remember that symbols and shapes we may see as usual today may have had a great deal of significance at the time the object was made. How do those symbols reflect the personality, morals, values, or beliefs of the creator and owner?
- Does the object have signs of damage, wear, or repairs? Do these patterns indicate excessive or limited use? Based on these patterns, can you determine how the owner(s) used the object and whether it was used correctly? Are the repairs due to accidental or purposeful breakage?
- Was the object modified from its original structure? How and why?
What else can we interpret from the object? Follow the link under Resources and use the worksheet to dissect the artifact. Can you find historically significant information? (Click on the thumbnail to view the entire image.)
