Museum Maker: �Daily Life in Ancient Corinth�

Lesson PowerPoint

ASCSA Corinth Excavations

Taylor Cwikla, MA                     Ioulia Tzonou, Ph.D.

Steinmetz Family Foundation                   Associate Director,

Museum Fellow at Ancient Corinth              Corinth Excavations

Museum Maker: Project Overview

1. Select objects from the archaeological collections of Ancient Corinth
2. Research selected artifacts
3. Curate a public-facing digital museum exhibit
• Organize artifacts into sub-topics
• Write object labels for display
• Organize display

Case Study: �Ancient Corinth

Corinth

Neolithic Period 

(6500 BC – 3250 BC)

Bronze Age

(3250 BC – 1100 BC)

Geometric Period

(900 BC – 700 BC)

Archaic Period

(700 BC – 480 BC)

Hellenistic Period (323 BC – 146 BC)

Roman Period

(146 BC – 700 CE)

Medieval Period

(700 CE – 1453 CE)

Ottoman Period

(1453 CE – 1830 CE)

Corinth Excavations Begin: 1896 CE

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Classical Period

(480 BC – 323 BC)

History of Excavations at Ancient Corinth

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• For an introduction to the history and excavations of Ancient Corinth, watch brief video here:
• https://www.ascsa.edu.gr/about/history-and-mission/short-films-link/twelve-decades-of-discovery

Aerial Views of Ancient Corinth

Establishing the Theme

• The theme of this project is

"Daily Life in Ancient Corinth"

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Activate prior knowledge of theme

the Corinth Catalog

• Corinth excavations began in 1896
• The ASCSA Corinth collection includes about 190,000 objects
• Excavations take place every April, May, and June, so there are new finds added to the collection every year
• The Corinth Catalog offers a selection of objects from the collection
• Every object has an inventory number
• Inventory number – Identifying number given to every object in the Corinth collection; keeps materials organized and offers information about the object
• "C 1936 263" is the 263rd ceramic object found during the 1936 excavation season

Pick 3 objects from the Corinth Catalog that fit the display topic: �"Daily Life in Ancient Corinth"

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Use the Corinth Catalog to explore the available objects

Introduce corinth.ascsa.net

• Researching Objects:

Students will use the ASCSA research database to obtain basic data on the objects of their choosing.

By searching, using the object inventory numbers, students can find information on the object’s title and date (either specific or a broader time period), along with other context information.

Your turn!

• Look up inventory number

S 2682

• Locate where to find out...
• What is this object?
• What is it made of?
• What condition was it found in?
• Where was it found?

This is what �you should see:

In-class Research Time

• For each of your 3 selected objects, record:
• Inventory number
• Object title
• Date / Time Period*
• Provenance*

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Pick one favorite from your 3 objects to keep for the final exhibit

Take it a Step Further -

• For one object, learn more!
• Further Research
• What is this object?
• When is it from? (Is it Archaic? Roman? Byzantine? …)
• How was it used?
• When, or why was it used?
• Does this object belong in a display on daily life? Why?

Create Labels

• Follow this sample for the labels:

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• Inventory Number     T 2108
• Title                     Terracotta Horse on                Wheels
• Date/Time Period                 Early Roman
• Area (Where it was found)       Cheliotomylos
• Context about the object      ____________________ ...

Arrange objects into display order

• Organizing the Display

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• Why is your topic of “Daily Life in Ancient Corinth” important?
• What are three things that will interest visitors in your display?
• What do you want visitors to learn from your exhibit?

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Arrange objects into display order

• Organizing the Display
• How can you arrange objects to effectively deliver your message to visitors?
• Are there any groups you can make of similar objects in your display?
• For example, several types of ceramics can form a display group of ‘household objects’. Architectural elements can form a group of more ‘public’ materials.

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Compose a �"Note from the Curators"

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This will be your opportunity to directly address your audience.

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What do you want them to know about your display?

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What should visitors take away?

Send materials to steinmetz-corinth@ascsa.edu.gr

• Digital exhibit will be arranged and posted
• You will receive a link to access and share class project

Class presentation to another class

• Have audience view the digital display and complete a survey on their experience of the exhibit
• Share feedback with students and hold discussion about what went well, what was difficult, and what could improve in a second attempt

Online Exhibit feedback – provided at end of digital display