19

THE EXISTENTIAL AND AESTHETIC

ASPECTS OF MUSEOLOGY IN
ARCHAEOLOGY
MAIRA HILALI
DR. KHALID MAHMOODII
I
M.Phil. scholar (Asian studies), Taxila Institute of Asian
civilization, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan,
Email: mairehilal@yahoo.com
II
Lecturer, Department of Pakistan Studies, Alama Iqbal Open
University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Email: khalidmahmoodpsc@gmail.com

Abstract
The treatment of human remains and antiquities has become a much-
contended issue, with a domain of political moral and legal pressures
weighing on archaeologists and museologists. The present work is an
effort to locate in dialogue on the discipline of archaeology the subject
that studies ancient remains and its inter-ethnic association with
Museology as one of the principal mean by which people acquire
access to them. Furthermore, pertaining to the dynamic equilibrium
role of archaeologist and museologist this literature highlights the
system of Museology in exploring the ancient past as well as answer
the most intriguing question that how Museological approaches can be
utilized as a tool in archaeology to determine the transforming cultural
pattern of the past human societies pertaining to the masses. Though
the study is based on qualitative and fundamental research methods,
but secondary sources are also consulted by an author to support their
argument. The conclusion shows that the twin disciplines of
archaeology and museology have reflected a dynamic and complex
balance between the demands of documenting developing, and
preserving the material on the one hand while on the other this balance
has inflected and informed the ways which raised more contested and
critical issues of reflexivity authenticity and authority of material in
Museology.

Keywords: Museum, Sites, Archeologist, material, Heritage.

1. Introduction
20 The Existential and Aesthetic Aspects of Museology… …

Archaeology is the logical consideration of the fabric remains such

as (engineering, artifacts, bifocals, environment, and social scene) of past
human lives and exercises. It is a branch of humanities and social science.
This particular discipline has various sub-branches.1 Museology is one of
its subsidiaries. In an archaeological context, the term Museology was
coined around the 18th century and reached its climax in the second half
of the nineteenth century when the collection enshrined in P.L. Martin's
Praxis Der Naturgeschichte Museum Germany in (1869). Interestingly,
from the beginning of 1869 till today the field of museology has been
continuously progressing and expanding due to the sponsorship of ICOM
International Committee for Museology which has always played a
central role in this regard.2
Museology is the theoretical study of museum practices that
encompasses the development and history of a museum, museum
management, and infrastructural organization. It not only focuses on the
aesthetic value of an object but also puts emphasis on the preservation of
the object, functions concerning the object, for disseminating information
concerning it in an educational form. Practically, the aims of museology
are to analyze study and investigate the museum and its activities and
thereby procure experience and knowledge that can be arranged and
generalized within a "system of museum theory having a uniform
terminology”. Apart from that its other aim included drawing up
objectives, to work out methods to solve various problems and suggest
means for museological activity and create a basis for its continued
evolution. These aims are not simultaneously achieved through scientific
activities but also results obtained through the involvement of multiple
natural science disciplines within the field of museology.3
Unlike archaeology, there is an enormous variety of subjects that can
be taught under Museology. Recently the subject underwater archaeology
has become a matter of interest for the researcher. For many decades,
museums exhibited finds that were rescued from the seabed and the co-
relations between underwater archaeology and museology only extended
as far as the accession allowed. This was to be expected; back then,
everything that came to the surface was often without context and
mysterious as well as when underwater archaeology was inaccessible.
The only condition that could be accustomed was a historical one,
extracted from written sources. Often, underwater archaeological objects
were simply a depiction of something that was already known.
Over time this association has however changed. Currently, the
seabed has become more approachable through new technological
innovations that have been understood by the museum world. Specialized
J.P.H.S., Vol. LXX, No. 1 21 …

museums and even large exhibitions have been generated that focus
solely on underwater cultural heritage. This evolution has gone ahead,
taking the museum into heritage trails and out of the building but also
publicly accessible underwater sites.4
1.1 The System of Museology

The system of the museology is basically related with the working

field of the museums. It indicates the division of museology into multiple
forms such as General Museology which is a subject applicable to all
kinds of museums and their activities. Special Museology, is based on
general museology, it modifies and deepens it in order to apply it to
specific facts typical only of multiple types of museums and museum
activities.
Applied museology, also called Museography, is sub- ordinate to
general museology. Either it deals with the practical application of
museological techniques used by the museum to complete its function or
provide guidance to reach its conclusions.5
Operational museology alludes to the day-to-day operations of a
gallery, counting its organization arrangements and conventions
(procedural, moral, etc.), its organizational and administrative structure,
collections administration (counting preservation and rebuilding), its
programs and its shows. The latest examination appears that modern basic
museology has developed as a wide field of pondering in prehistoric
studies. It could be a key to prehistoric studies that locks in fundamentally
calling into question the established presumptions in museology.6 This
illustrates basic museology too may expand beyond the conventional
gallery to incorporate social centers, legacy locales, social centers,
craftsmanship exhibitions, commemorations, and so on.

1.2 Historical cultural heritage; the changing role of Museology

There are as it were two coherent ways that social assets can be
protected for future eras: (l) they must be for all time housed either in a
gallery or other suitable premises or they must be cleared out undisturbed
in and on the ground. This strategy is best, but it is exceptionally
troublesome to undertake. Given the troubles of protecting social assets
in an essential setting, the consistent conclusion is that a bigger and bigger
extent of our extant social assets will be protected in an auxiliary setting;
in other words, in historical centers and capacity offices.7
In many countries of the world museums have been developed now
a day. Sweden has made great progress in this regard. The Sweden
22 The Existential and Aesthetic Aspects of Museology… …

government has focused on arts, archealogy and natural history in last

few years. The highly educated and professional experts are appointed
for looking after the museums. 8 It is a reality the museums have become
the complex instututions in present day modern world due to current
expensions in museology. 9
In cultural resource management, the association of museology and
archaeology can be understood from the conservation philosophy of in
situ protection which is relatively straightforward: by safeguarding the
site from devastation, it is preserved for future generations. Increasingly
all over the world archaeological resource management philosophy is
keeping the option of securing sites in situ as the preferred alleviating
strategy in the face of development pressures. In archaeology, the most
common contribution of the museum, however, is the preservation of
sites. The curation of the records and finds made in advance of the
dissemination of a conservation ethic through public education programs
and the destruction of sites through development. Regarding that latest
investigations have demonstrated that the curation role of museums is
being inadequately fulfilled. Material is often in poor condition, storage
areas are crowded and usage of archaeological archives is low. Anyhow,
the study of museology in archaeology concentrates on inter or intra-
societal differentiation, therefore, uses excavated material as a mean of a
variable for the cultural identity of individuals and groups. So if the
records of excavations cannot be efficiently superintended, then the
rationale of preservation “by the record” will be challenged in the
future.10

1.3 Museum archaeology; practices and narratives

Museums are a microcosm of the wider society in which inter-ethnic

association is played out through a struggle over control and
interpretation of cultural resources. It is this latest, revitalized sub-
discipline of archeology that, through its dialectical transformation and
engagement of its subject, has done much, and can be expected to do
much more, in charting new trends not only for other museum
presentation but also for ethnographic museums too. Archaic exploration
and Exhibition halls are both molded by the conflicting classical
motivations that constituted the profound structure of old thought as well
as concerned with understanding and view of the world that was thought
to be explored by archeologists. They are quintessentially cutting edge
teaching who share a chronicled relationship to the past social structure
and political issues.
J.P.H.S., Vol. LXX, No. 1 23 …

There are various different categories of a museum such as local

regional and national museums that encompass archaeology within their
remit. All provide an overview of the culture and art of their area. Within
the archaeological paradigm, the most specific kinds of the museum are
site museums, which are located within or adjacent to, archaeological
monuments and sites. Sometimes these are essential vehicles for the
interpretation of the wider site, often supplemented with audio-visuals,
graphics, and models, using finds from excavation. Generally, in
museums, the collection has usually been accumulated over a long time
and may reflect the entire archaeological past (in the case of encyclopedic
museums) selected parts of the world or even of a specific country and
region. Apparently, in prehistoric study galleries have reflected an
energetic and complex adjustment between the requests of recording,
creating, and protecting objects on the one hand and sharing control and
information, on the other. This adjustment has educated the ways that
exhibition halls show the past, counting both presentation plans, down to
earth angles of the instructional method as well as more challenged and
basic issues of reality, specialist, and reflexivity in elucidation.
Archeological historical centers play a dynamic part in both forming and
protecting the public's view of the past and reflect the dangers and
prospects of being at once a sanctuary to the muses and a gathering for
some of the time petulant open discussion.11
Furthermore, other contribution archaeological museums can assist
in the preservation of archaeological monuments and sites in the
following ways: by preserving the records of their investigation ex-situ,
by helping to preserve them in situ, and by promoting the appreciation
and preservation of archaeological sites through multiple programms and
displays. They also manage the archaeological heritage of a region or
nation and undertake heritage protection functions themselves. Besides
that, many undertake fieldwork and give advice on development
proposals.12

1.4 Integrating the role of museologist and archaeologist

Archeologists have been to some degree reluctant to recognizing

museology that one of their most imperative obligations as the
administration and conservation of destinations. Their obligation for
seeing all artifacts, ecofacts, soil tests, maps notes, photos, reports, and
other materials from an extent as well as organize them as a unit for long-
term capacity. They serve as both researchers and social asset directors.13
Compare to that museologists, like archeologists, tend to endure from the
24 The Existential and Aesthetic Aspects of Museology… …

need for prescience. Their part is to minister, totally report and organize
the artifacts and culture fabric once the unearthings have been done so
that they will be valuable to future analysts. Finally, archaeologists give
a better understanding to museologist regarding the fragmentary
condition of the material and human skeletal remains recovered during
excavation. An afterthought in this way museologists accomplished their
major task through the practical implication of twin approaches that make
them valuable contributions in this endeavor.14
The world has known the service and efforts of the archaeologists as
they excavate the sites and search the wonderful remains in form of coins,
pottery and statues from the ruins. However, there is dire need to accept
the services of museums in all over the world. In context, Thomas and
Kristina said that

The working life museums have in several cases played an

important role for redeveloping local economy in the previous
industrial communities. However, in most cases, the machinery
and technical equipment of former industries had been
dismantled and scrapped or sold and transferred to a low-wage
country15

Smuggling of the precious and rare articrafts is at the peak. The

governments all over the world have almost failed to control the theft of
these items. According to the report of Asia Pacific Mr. Amir Latif has
discussed an issue that the Government of Pakistan has no record of the
antiquities which are stolen and then smuggled out of the country. One of
the reasons is that a large number of people is illiterate; that is why they
don’t have the idea regarding the importance and worth of these articrafts.
The stolen items are sold in the international market against thousands of
dollars. Moreover, the antiquate smuggling is feeding the organized
criminal and terrorist groups, a security expert said. 10% of the total terror
financing in Pakistan comes through illegal antiquities trade. It’s a huge
business worldwide involving organized smuggling gangs, terrorist
groups, and the international art markets”.16

1.5 Museum Archaeology: twin approaches material preservation

and development

Appropriate museology could be a bottom-up approach to historical

center preparation and advancement that adjusts gallery techniques and
J.P.H.S., Vol. LXX, No. 1 25 …

hones for financial conditions and for social legacy preservation to local
social settings. In a perfect world, it may be a community-based approach
that combines assets and nearby information with those of proficient
gallery work to better meet the needs of a specific community and its
gallery. Inborn museological conventions ought to be integrated and
investigated into gallery operations where appropriate. These may
incorporate curatorial strategies, innate models of historical centers, and
ideas of social legacy conservation. Innate models of exhibition halls may
be found in vernacular structural shapes, capacity, show, structures or
spaces for the collection, and the security of esteemed materials and
products. Curatorial strategies may be seen as behavior or any action,
body of information and hones, behavior, related to the care, treatment,
show, and preservation of the social property. Concepts of social legacy
conservation can be deciphered as conceptual systems that back the
transmission of culture through time.17
Comparatively, participatory approaches developed in reaction to the
restrictions postured by, macro-level top-down approaches which, in
numerous cases, were recognized as inadequately and not in keeping with
neighborhood interface and needs. Pushed by grass root non-
governmental organizations, the thought of cooperation was a people-
centered bottom-up approach that in a perfect world included the aiming
(or partners) recipients in all stages of an extent, particularly within the
decision-making handle.18 Participatory approaches are based on
majority rule guidelines which point at engaging individuals to require
control of their possess course of improvement and bridge the gap
between nearby community individuals and outside experts. It is
additionally a way of making apparently outsider innovations educate, or
hones more consistent with nearby circumstances as well as
recommending that the skills and information of neighborhood
individuals hold esteem together with that of specialists.19

2. Conclusion

To sum up, Museology as an archaeology sub-discipline is an inter-

connected dependent subject with its aims, objectives of study, working
sphere, and major system. This scientific discipline had generous object
centre and self-enclosed approaches until the 19th century, later on,it had
headed toward human-centered outward-looking approaches and
influenced by the changing material views. So keeping in view the all
worth mentioning facts it can be concluded that in future museology and
archaeology necessarily have to cooperate with each-other focusing on
26 The Existential and Aesthetic Aspects of Museology… …

their contributory roles such as treasure management preservation,

exhibition, conservation and documentation, as well as for the provision
of the education task.

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Notes and References

1
K.Greene, 1995, Archaelogy ; an introduction the History Principle and
Modern Archaeology, Taylor and Francis group ltd, pp 130, 159-161.
2
B. Olsen, , & A. Svestad, 1994, Creating Prehistory: Archaeology Museum
and the discourse of Modernism, Nordisk Museologi, Vol (1), pp 3-20.
3
V.Mccall, & C.Gray,2014,. Museums and the ‘New Museology’: Theory,
Practice and Organizational Change. Museum Management and Curatorship
29(1): 19-35.
4
S. Charoenpot, B. Boelen, & R. Manders, 2012, Museology, UNESCO
Publications, pp 13-16.
5
V. Sofka, . 1980, Museology Science or just practical Museum work?,
Museological working paper, International committee for Museology
Publications, pp 12-13.
6
A. Shelton, (2013). "Critical Museology: A Manifesto". Museum Worlds, Vol
1 (1), pp 7–23.
7
G.Frank & Matero, 2008, Heritage conservation and archaeology; an
introduction, All sites preservation program, Archaelogical institute of America
publications, pp 1-5.
8
E. Silven, (2018). “Museums, museology and cultural heritage studiesin
Sweden 1993–2017”. Nordisc Museology, 2018 (1), pp 119-129
9
O. Zabalueva, (2018). “Museology and Museum-making: Cultural Policies
and Cultural Demands”, The Politics and Poetics of Museology, Vol. 46, pp
231-247
10
N.Marriman, n.d, Archaeology, The role of Museum, Encyclopedia of life
Support System, University College London publishers, Vol II, PP 1-15.
11
W. Barker,2010, ,Exhibiting Archaeolgy: Archaeology and Museum,
Encyclopedia of anthropology, pp 293-308.
12
H. Swain,. 2008, An introduction to Museum Archaeology, European Journal
of Archaeology, Cambridge University Press, Vol 13(3), pp 368.
13
K. Kristiansen, 2008, The name and Nature of Archaeology, the Oxford
Handbook of Archaeology publication, pp 8-10.
14
L, Christtensoc, 1979, The Role of Museum on Cultural Resource
Management, American antiquity, American Anthropologoical Association, Vol
44 (1), pp 9-12.
28 The Existential and Aesthetic Aspects of Museology… …

15
N. Tomas & T.Kristina (eds.) 2018, Cultural Heritage Preservation: the Past,
the Present and the Future, Halmstad University Press. P 50
16
L. Aamir 2019, Pakistan in Danger of losing its rare articrafts, Asia Pacific
Report, retrieved from https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/pakistan-in-
danger-of-losing-its-rare-artifacts/1529395 accessed on 12 February 2022.
17
F. Christina, 2008, Appropriate Museology in theory and Practice, Museum
Management and Curatorship, Vol 23(1), pp 23-41.
18
A. Mason, 2014, Participatory Museology: Free Expression as the Key to
Relevance, Curator; the museum journal, Vol 57 (4), pp 401-403.
19
A. Johnsson, 2016, New approaches now; from Museum approaches to
Audience engagement, Public Engagement Means Active Participation:
Museums in the Age of a Participation Culture, Peddalli the Finnish Association
for Museum Education, pp 13-22.
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