Decontextualization and the Search for Origins: A Persian Architectural Fragment in the Ackland Art Museum

A Persian architectural fragment, acquired by the Ackland Art Museum in 1998, has been recontextualized through comparative analysis with similar fragments from major Euro-American collections and the Hegmataneh Hill Museum in Hamadan, Iran. This study challenges the museum's emphasis on aesthetic qualities by examining the fragment as part of a broader network of architectural pieces, rather than an isolated decontextualized object. The research approach involves cross-collection analysis to trace origins and reconstruct historical context, providing new insights into Persian architectural heritage beyond conventional narratives.

Halsted, Lyla. (2016). Decontextualization and the Search for Origins: A Persian Architectural Fragment in the Ackland Art Museum. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries. https://doi.org/10.17615/95GZ-SE58