A good gift for the holidays for your archaeologist pal or relative (or yourself) is a reproduction or related gewgaw. There are several places on the internet to find such a thing, although they are sometimes difficult to find and they range in quality and user-friendliness (is that a word?).
The best sources for reproductions are the ones that are the most difficult to use--museums which are based at archaeological sites. Those websites rarely feature online stores, and sometimes not even online catalogs, but they may offer one-of-a-kind reproductions in their brick-and-mortar stores that you can call and ask about. The smallish museums--those based at universities, primarily--often have fairly substantial online catalogs, and offer fairly dependable online ordering. The large museums--Smithsonian, MOMA, the British Museum--have the most substantial and sophisticated catalogs and ordering systems. Their selections are fabulous, but generally pricey.
Finally, there are a selection of companies that offer reproductions online, but are not associated with museums at all. Check with the "tips for buying reproductions" for why I prefer using museums, but, your mileage may, of course, vary. I checked the Better Business Bureau on the smallest museum sites this morning, but still, you should be careful out there. Happy hunting!
The best sources for reproductions are the ones that are the most difficult to use--museums which are based at archaeological sites. Those websites rarely feature online stores, and sometimes not even online catalogs, but they may offer one-of-a-kind reproductions in their brick-and-mortar stores that you can call and ask about. The smallish museums--those based at universities, primarily--often have fairly substantial online catalogs, and offer fairly dependable online ordering. The large museums--Smithsonian, MOMA, the British Museum--have the most substantial and sophisticated catalogs and ordering systems. Their selections are fabulous, but generally pricey.
Finally, there are a selection of companies that offer reproductions online, but are not associated with museums at all. Check with the "tips for buying reproductions" for why I prefer using museums, but, your mileage may, of course, vary. I checked the Better Business Bureau on the smallest museum sites this morning, but still, you should be careful out there. Happy hunting!
- Tips for Buying Artifact Reproductions
- Archaeological Site Museum Shops, Chucalissa, Cahokia, Harappa, Mount Vernon, etc.
- Small Museum Shops, Abbe Museum, the Suq at the Oriental Institute, University of Pennsylvania Museum, etc.
- Large Museum Shops, Smithsonian, British Museum, etc.
- More Reproduction Sources (not museum-based)
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