Valerie Butterfield | University College London (original) (raw)
Papers by Valerie Butterfield
Illinois Archaeology, 2018
The Mississippian Mace, currently classified as a ceremonial war club, is a common theme in the S... more The Mississippian Mace, currently classified as a ceremonial war club, is a common theme in the Southeastern Ceremonial Complex (SECC), more recently described as the Mississippian Ideological Interaction Sphere (MIIS), and seems to be a favored accoutrement of the Morning Star deity. Countless representations exist in shell carvings, petroglyphs, and as three-dimensional stone forms. Despite the proliferation of this motif, scholars
have struggled to assign it ideological meaning. Now, investigations into the relationship between maces and birds, along with examinations of surviving folklore and the historical record, provide insight into this enigmatic symbol of power. Iconographic associations, substitutions, and transformations combine with legend to relate the visual imagery of the
Mississippian mace to the spirit birds.
Icon News Issue 69 March, 2017
Post-graduate students experience the opening of the new conservation labs at the British Museum.
Killed or deliberately fragmented objects are well known within the archaeological literature, ye... more Killed or deliberately fragmented objects are well known within the archaeological literature, yet there is little description or discussion of what these practices may have meant to the peoples who carried them out. This lack of scholarly discussion has impacted conservation practices by undervaluing the identification and retention of these meaningful acts. Indeed, the paucity within the conservation literature suggests this aspect of material manipulation is rarely considered during conservation treatments. The purpose of this study is to help fill the literature
gap by introducing this culturally significant deliberate damage to the larger conservation community in order to encourage the identification, documentation, and preservation of killed or fragmented objects. I have analyzed the literature from archaeology, anthropology, the conservation of painted artworks, heritage preservation, and working with the sacred in order to develop a brief list of identifying traits and treatment strategies for killed or fragmented objects. By involving conservation in the identification, documentation, and preservation of killed or fragmented objects, I hope to further the growing interest in fragmentation research. In time, this may lead to more effective methods for the identification, preservation and overall understanding of these meaningful cultural practices.
Illinois Archaeology, 2018
The Mississippian Mace, currently classified as a ceremonial war club, is a common theme in the S... more The Mississippian Mace, currently classified as a ceremonial war club, is a common theme in the Southeastern Ceremonial Complex (SECC), more recently described as the Mississippian Ideological Interaction Sphere (MIIS), and seems to be a favored accoutrement of the Morning Star deity. Countless representations exist in shell carvings, petroglyphs, and as three-dimensional stone forms. Despite the proliferation of this motif, scholars
have struggled to assign it ideological meaning. Now, investigations into the relationship between maces and birds, along with examinations of surviving folklore and the historical record, provide insight into this enigmatic symbol of power. Iconographic associations, substitutions, and transformations combine with legend to relate the visual imagery of the
Mississippian mace to the spirit birds.
Icon News Issue 69 March, 2017
Post-graduate students experience the opening of the new conservation labs at the British Museum.
Killed or deliberately fragmented objects are well known within the archaeological literature, ye... more Killed or deliberately fragmented objects are well known within the archaeological literature, yet there is little description or discussion of what these practices may have meant to the peoples who carried them out. This lack of scholarly discussion has impacted conservation practices by undervaluing the identification and retention of these meaningful acts. Indeed, the paucity within the conservation literature suggests this aspect of material manipulation is rarely considered during conservation treatments. The purpose of this study is to help fill the literature
gap by introducing this culturally significant deliberate damage to the larger conservation community in order to encourage the identification, documentation, and preservation of killed or fragmented objects. I have analyzed the literature from archaeology, anthropology, the conservation of painted artworks, heritage preservation, and working with the sacred in order to develop a brief list of identifying traits and treatment strategies for killed or fragmented objects. By involving conservation in the identification, documentation, and preservation of killed or fragmented objects, I hope to further the growing interest in fragmentation research. In time, this may lead to more effective methods for the identification, preservation and overall understanding of these meaningful cultural practices.