Anth 1400: Digging the Past
Student Project 2: Object Report

Object / Monument Report Guidelines

1. Object Report. Think like an archaeologist, how do archaeologists interpret the past?Students will select an object to research from the object/monument list (My object: ANCESTRAL PUEBLO MUG).Students are to research the object or monument, identifying key features, contextualizing it, identifying its significance, and assessing the scholarship of the object / monument.
a. The object or monument selected must be agreed upon by the instructor and student
i. You must clear object/monument with the instructor by October 13th (this should be done via email)
ii. If you have other objects/monuments you’d like to research, email me about them.
b. The paper should be double-spaced, 5.5 pages of pure text (excluding the bibliography and images)
c. I will stop reading once I reach 5.5 pages, please do not write more; essays less than 5 pages will not be accepted either).
d. *Paper Due* due on Thursday 8th of December
i. Hard copies are due in class (9:30-10:45am)
ii. Word count must be submitted with paper
iii. Images must be used. All images must have captions and be cited correctly

Suggested Structure of the Report
Introduction
1. Student’s own initial interpretation of the object/monument
a. What did you think the object/monument was?
i. Why?
b. Your initial interpretation of the material of the object/monument
c. What did you perceive the relevance of your research topic to be?
i. Cultural, religious, secular relevance.
d. Your overall observation of the object/monument.
e. Where is your object from?
2. Detailed Description of the object
a. The type of object should be identified
b. Date of object / dynasty, etc.
i. If the date is problematic state why (unlikely to be the case)
c. Material
d. Technique
e. Iconography
f. Translation of inscription (if present)
g. Analysis of the meaning of the text (if included)
h. Context – where was this object (or its kind) displayed / used, etc?
3. Analysis
a. Discussion of the object’s significance (think about these questions, but don’t answer them explicitly but weave them into your text)
i. What does this object tell us about a specific moment in (art) history in your specific region/dynasty/empire?
ii. Why would we as scholars be at loss without it?
b. You can discuss the following topics (but are not limited to, nor do you have to include them all)
i. how the object is typical / atypical?
ii. Where it was made?
iii. By whom it was made?
iv. Patron?
v. Economic considerations (i.e., at what level is it produced for – elite or middling?, imported materials?)
vi. Does it reflect other cultural influences (India? China? European? Near Eastern? Islamic? Christian? Judaic? etc )
vii. How does it relate to other media (i.e., Does Metalwork influence ceramics?)
viii. Metropolitan vs. Provincial Example (within an imperial context)
ix. Artistic innovations or standard / typical examples
c. What does it mean archaeological?
i. How would you analyze this object if you were to find this particular object/monument in an archaeological site you were digging?
1. What does it present about the culture you are excavating about?
4. Comparisons
a. Find other examples to contextualize this object
b. Compare and contrast
5. Conclusions
a. In your conclusion, please explain how your initial perception and interpretation compared to what is actually known about the object?
i. Compare your interpretation of the object/monument to your results from researching about it.