"Heroic deeds wrapped in myth, mystery and magic."
In 2009, a metal detector stumbled across The Staffordshire
Hoard that turned out to be the largest collection of Anglo Saxon treasure ever
found. Although owned by Birmingham City Council, the Bristol Museum is
currently displaying the collection in their ‘Warrior Treasures’ exhibition.
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| Gold collar from the hilt of a single-bladed knife (seax). Photo: Birmingham Museums Trust |
Unfortunately, fragments of Anglo-Saxon life is a path
well-trodden and something all of us are likely to have seen before. So, the
really astonishing part of this display is the curatorial skill with which they
have managed to breathe new, exciting life into this subject.
Set in a dark exhibition space, the Bristol Museum utilises
touch screens and animation to incorporate modern technology without
overshadowing the actual treasures. The exhibition could easily have been a
repetitive set of cabinets, overwhelming in the number of tiny golden pieces.
Yet the small alcoves allow you to digest the pieces in themes, taking in one
cabinet at a time. Golden lettering reads ‘Fit for a King’ or ‘Gift Giving’.
Next to each description is a screen with a small animation, placing each piece
in its context, such as on a hilt of a sword.
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| The layout of the exhibition |
There is also a timeline which
places the pieces in the turning point of Anglo Saxon history, between Paganism
and Christendom. Surround sound sets the scene with the howls and rustling of a
nocturnal forest. The darkness of the room reminds us how the Anglo Saxon
craftsman would have forged these treasures in dimly lit spaces with the most
basic of tools. In this way, you become immersed in this moment of history. As
the curator of antiquities at Birmingham Museum has said, this type of display
ensures the “Dark Ages are no longer so dark.”
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| Touch screens allow you to explore how each artefact would have been used |
The term ‘fun for all the family’ is hilariously over-used
in public attractions, but this exhibition really has achieved this. This is a highly interactive display, and
probably has done this most effectively out of recent ones I’ve seen. All
museums and galleries are trying to do this now, but there is a fine line
between use of technology and replacing historical objects entirely. In this
exhibition, touch screens allow you to call up and zoom in on pieces that
entice you. Benches in the middle are covered in faux fur, creating an
interesting atmosphere when placed in front of photos of wolves. It evokes the
environment where everything was utilised, no resource was wasted. It is
interesting to understand that this is an island we live on but they were in
conditions we are no longer familiar with.
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| Even the seating is in theme: fake tree stumps and fur |
In a small circular space, hinting at the famous Anglo-Saxon
huts, visitors are encouraged to step inside and sit on mock tree stumps: “This
is a space to share, a space to gather for the telling of stories, to speak, to
listen, to read or… to imagine what came before that is no longer there.” A
notice underneath warns that this area may be in use by school groups, and that
is something I can very much imagine. What group of school kids wouldn’t want
to huddle up in a dark space, surrounded by sounds of woodland creatures, and
whisper mystical stories? A digital fire flickers and cracks in the middle. A
book on the side tells visitors to write their own stories of mystical
warriors. Around the walls reads “a flicker of the past in the flicker of the
flame… of voice and harp in harmony sharing fabled stories of those long since
gone, of heroic deeds wrapped in myth, mystery and magic.”
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| Circular seating and a 'log fire' encourage story telling |
We’ve all seen ancient pottery and old armour, but it is
unlikely we’ve seen it in an exhibition this effective at conveying the
mystical atmosphere of the Dark Ages. It shows us this strange relationship
between beautiful craftsmanship and the blood-thirsty conquests of the middle
ages.
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| Ancient artefacts are animated and given new life |
At the end is the classic trope of dress up and a mirror.
But I was pleasantly surprised when I tried on my helmet, for a recording
inside applauds a warrior who has done well in battle. It seems every detail
has been considered: how can we make this a full immersive experience? I
genuinely see this as the future of heritage conservation and education. In a
world of ever-developing technology, it is no longer efficient to attract
children with a plain glass cabinet. Sometimes, you just need to add in the
flicker of a flame here and there, a digitalisation of an imagined warrior, and
the sounds of wolves.
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| Embracing my inner (child) warrior... |
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