Artemis Christidi

 

The Ethics of Exhibiting Grave Goods: The Shabti of Senkamanisken

 

Abstract: In recent decades there has been an increased concern in tackling ethical issues in museums. This is largely due to the cultural sensitivity and social responsiveness museum workers have developed. Museum ethics are about value judgments. They are a set of guidelines that encourage museums to appropriately display their artefacts and carefully consider and respect the feelings of religious, ethnic, or other groups that are being represented. A heated debate with intricate ethical challenges is that of displaying human remains and grave goods. Advocates in favour of exhibiting such artefacts centre their arguments on the information, representation and understanding they can offer to society today. While the other side is preoccupied with respecting the dead, and the descendant communities. Essentially, the debate is about different value judgements. What is more important, educating the living about the dead and their societies, religion, daily life, or respecting them and their descendants? The answer is complicated. Each case needs to be examined individually, as there are different forces and elements at play. The essay takes the Shabti of Senkamanisken as a case study and tries to answer the intricate question of whether the artefact should be displayed. 

 

Bio: ​​Artemis Christidi received their BA in History, specialised in Cultural History and completed the minor Youth Studies at Utrecht University. Their BA thesis focused on the waves of feminism and their influence on the representation of the ideal woman in cinematography, specifically the Disney Princess movies. Their research interests include historical analysis of photographic and filmographic material, (eco-)feminism, queer theory and culture. Currently, they are attending the MA Museum Studies at the University of Amsterdam.