Friday, October 13, 2023

What would make a good arrowhead display?

A good display would first and foremost, have good lighting and no "back of shelf" awkwardness. Overall the goal of an exhibit is: to create a lasting memory of what is displayed. As for arrowheads, you can start by lining them up vertically, point upward. 

To me there are a number of interesting dimension but it can be simplified into the material information about an arrowhead and the aesthetic information. So the 'material' info is the age, location, material and the known and speculated context for the people who made the arrowheads - where they travelled.  

The aesthetic info is the dimensions of style and how variations are coordinated with the material info. But the aesthetic info can also highlight the finders of the arrowheads - their moments of delight and insight. The whole story of going to the Borden Colony in Raynham several times over a year and finding two wonderful arrowheads on a small patch of exposed dirt. How it felt to pick that last one up while making a video: Raynham Arrowhead.

So one arrangement would be a row of variations in one or another style of arrowhead. EG show the full range of "triangles". Or show Clovis points from around the area. Or do a good job with stemmed points.

In some other arrangement, put all the arrowheads (and other items) from a single site. Do what you can to explain site topography. Do what you can to tell the story of why people lived there and how was the site found.

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