Re-assemblage and Dispersal: Exploring the Agency of Etruscan Votive Bronze Figurines in Museum Collections

The document investigates the evolving role of museum collections, particularly through the lens of ‘re-assemblage’, which involves studying the histories and contexts of artefacts. Focusing on Etruscan votive bronze figurines from the British Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the research reveals how these objects, despite losing their original archaeological settings, continue to possess agency and accrue new meanings as they are collected and dispersed. Ultimately, the paper underlines that museum collections remain fluid and are subject to constant reinterpretation and renewal of value over time.