Category: Spotlight on Our Collection

The Bridges Collection has a whole new look! Leah Neiman talks about The Bridges Collection case makeover. In April of 2019 the team began a campaign to re-design and enliven the display of the Collection. The Bridges Collection was donated to the University in 1994 for educational purposes. It now forms part of the University’s … Continue reading The Collection Gets a Makeover

  Cypriot material culture is found all over the land of Mediterranean in a variety of contexts. They are also some of the oldest, as the copper mines from Cyprus were one of the only sources of the metal in the Mediterranean making it a highly lucrative place to live. However, Cypriot remains have not … Continue reading Cyprus Submerged

This week, Leah Neiman, a graduate student in the Museum and Gallery studies program, discusses the female figurines in the Bridges Collection, and what they can tell us about the female experience in antiquity. One of the first questions we must ask ourselves about any artifacts is “where did they come from?” i.e. what context … Continue reading The Female Figure – reading representations of women in the Bridges Collection

This week, Dr Eleri Cousins of the School of Classics enlighten us about the lamps of the Bridges Collection. The days are almost at their shortest here in Scotland – the sun set at 3:34pm today! – so what better time of year to think about illumination in the ancient world?  The Bridges Collection contains … Continue reading Holiday Illuminations

This week we focus on one of the most eye-catching and intriguing objects in the Bridges Collection, the ‘plank figurine’ or ‘bottle-opener’ as it has been affectionately nicknamed by staff and students. Who does it represent, why was it made, and how was it used? Alison Hadfield, Learning & Access Curator, has been following up … Continue reading From Cradle to Grave – The Enigma of the Plank Figurine

The Bridges collection comprises some 200 objects from Cyprus given to the University of St Andrews on permanent loan by the Bridges family. The collection is housed in the School of Classics, University of St Andrews and is under the care of the Museum and Collections unit. The material was collected in Cyprus when the … Continue reading The Bridges Collection

Our Research Assistant Hannah Sycamore was recently in conversation with Rebecca Boyde of Dig It! and the Scottish Learning Group discussing her experience on the Through a Glass Darkly project, what she learnt and where the project will be heading next. Rebecca: So, why is it called 'Through a Glass Darkly'? Hannah: Through a Glass … Continue reading In Conversation with Rebecca Boyde

The Bridges collection is a diverse group of material that was accumulated by the Bridges family in the 1960s. Mr Bridges worked for the British Council on Cyprus; during their time there the family began to collect archaeological material. Following consultation and approval of Professor Vassos Karageorghis (former Director of Antiquities and former Director of … Continue reading The Bridges Collection in the Context of Private Collections

Digital media is becoming ever more prevalent in museums and in archaeology. The benefits of digital media are clear for accessibility and conservation. However, the impact of digital material on perceptions of material culture and whether digital material really does appeal to all, has yet to be explored. The research project Through a Glass Darkly … Continue reading Through a Glass Darkly: Methodology