Today is my last day as the Spring 2014 Growdon Collections Intern. It’s bittersweet because on the one hand I’m leaving behind two new online collections of some of the objects I’ve been working with (keep a lookout for those on the website!) but sad because I’ve really come to enjoy the view as I walk over the bridge on Congress Street every morning. I’ve also come to enjoy the people I work with in Collections and the people I pass in the hallways who say “hi” because they remember me from the holiday party. I’ve come to enjoy taking a few extra minutes in storage to look through random drawers and explore a different area of the collection. In short, I think it’s obvious that I’ve come to enjoy working at the Museum and am sad that this time has come to an end.
It’s with endings in mind that I thought I would write a final post highlighting some of my favorite objects that I’ve come across that haven’t yet gotten their time in the spotlight on the blog. In no particular order, they are:
1) ES XX 1, white clay tobacco pipe, Scotland
As an archaeologist, I HAD to include this. White clay tobacco pipes are what I’m analyzing for my thesis, and this is the first time in two years that I have gotten to see a complete pipe. This is a big deal for me.
2) ME 63-1 S1, water pipe, Lebanon
More commonly known as a “hookah”, this object gave me a chance to dust off my Arabic skills and dive back in to studying a culture I devoted my third year of undergraduate education to.
3) EX 56 S1a, cigar case, Spain
These cases are from Granada in Andalusia, Spain. This area was under the control of the Islamic Nasrid dynasty in the 11th c., and was another area that I became familiar with while I was studying Arabic.
4) EJ 56-1 S1, tobacco pipe, Switzerland
This object isn’t so much a favorite of mine as it is mildly terrifying. As you can see, the clown’s head is removed from its body to reveal the pipe.
5) OA 611, tea set, Philippines
The last object is, fittingly, the first object that I saw on my first day at the Museum, and one that never ceases to make me smile. This is an entire tea set made from coconuts. How cool is that?
I hope you’ve enjoyed this glimpse behind the scenes in Collections – I’ve certainly enjoyed giving you a peek. If you’re interested in archaeology, you can continue to follow my adventures at digthisfeature.tumblr.com.
The Power of Play 