Abstract/Summary

This debate paper addresses a fundamental issue for archaeology: how we choose to represent the past through museum displays. It argues that current debates surrounding decolonisation and the democratisation of display are a critical issue for prehistoric collections as well as more recent material. The objects most likely to stand for prehistory in the popular imagination are a restricted group of iconic things. Made of precious, skilfully worked materials, they are often interpreted as reflecting social status rather than anything more personal or spiritual. Here we outline the findings of an experiment in displaying objects with more representative messages within the British Museum’s 2022 ‘World of Stonehenge’ exhibition.