In this article the author recounts how the Phoenician display came to be organised and finally exhibited. The author recounts that the team working on this project varied from academics to conservators to proof readers. In order to provide the best possible exhibit for the audience, a survey was also carried out and the information it provided was taken in consideration when drafting a story line for the exhibit.peer-reviewe

Sultana, Sharon

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NOTES&NEWS The Phoenician "permanent" display at the National Museum of Archaeology, Malta Sharon Sultana Instead ot only placing our objects on pedestals, it's time we placed our visitors on pedestals as well -Me Lean 1993, 5 cited by Black 2005, 7 The aims of museums all over the world have been changing throughout the years, but it is only recently that a critical objective of their existence, namely their visitors, is being taken into consideration. If people do not visit museums then these may as well close their doors and the care that the museum staff lavish on their collections would be futile since it would remain inaccessible. An audience-focused approach should not deter from having the collection as the main focus but it should unite the needs of the audience with the stories that the collection can tell. Although the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Phoenician period display at the National Museum of Archaeology took place on the 27 February 2013, the initial meetings with the various stakeholders took place a number of years preceding that. During this period plans changed and ideas had to be rekindled especially since the planning process was not a continuous one. This was due to the lack of human and financial resources, a syndrome which people working in public museums have unfortunately learnt to live with. The setting up of a museum display requires a multidisciplinary approach, involving people from various working backgrounds, and the crux towards a fruitful outcome is proper channelling and homogenising of Lhe ideas of all Lhe slakeholders Malta Archaeological Review, 2012-2013, Issue 11 from the initial stages. The people on board varied. We had curators, a consultant, exhibition designers, conservators, IT personnel, production team, proof readers, and the list goes on. Apart from the academic consultant- Dr Nicholas C. Vella from the University of Malta - the team working on this project consisted of Heritage Malta staff. An audience survey carried out in 2008 questioned Maltese households about local museums (Sultana 2008). Specific questions were targeted at expectations of the projected halls at the National Museum of Archaeology. When asked about preferred means of information dissemination, 75% chose audiovisuals and 43.7% opted for texts and images on interpretative panels. 1 With this information in hand, we analysed such responses during our decision making process for the Phoenician hall. The storyline, which was drafted together with the academic consultant, evolved from generic information about the Phoenicians, to the Phoenicians' arrival in Malta and their cultural practices. The chosen themes were the following: Who were the Phoenicians? Phoenician seafaring and trade (including sections on Metal, Textiles and purple dye, Glass and Wood); Ceramic forms from Phoenician Malta; Foreign pottery and local imitations; Phoenicians in the Maltese islands; Phoenidam and Death, A Phoenician coffin; Tophcts; 91 Sharon Sultana Figure 1. Selecting the artefacts for display. Containers for the dead; Tomb groups; Faces from the Phoenician past; and Afterlife. The text for the interpretation panels could not exceed 150 words for each of our official languages, and archival images, cartoons and audiovisuals were integrated into the design as supportive tools. An obvious integral part of the preparation stage was the choice of artefacts. Choosing a good representative sample from the thousands which were sourced, researched and documented from the reserve collection, whilst keeping in mind the space allocation we had for this period, was not easy (Fig. 1) . This exercise was carried out by the curators, consultant and the lead designer. The first draft layout reflected the chosen themes (Fig. 2a), which was then consolidated by listing the required artefacts for each showcase so that we could finalise the showcase size and type needed (Fig. 2b). In turn this turned into a scaled plan of the room, an important step in the development of the tasks to follow (Fig. 2c). The artefacts were sourced and sent for conservation. The manufacturing team started working on the structural shell of the display whilst the consultant started producing the text. The designers could then embark on producing the interpretation panels, in 92 constant liaison with the curators and consultant especially with regard to the accompanying images. In the meantime, some of the pieces earmarked for display underwent extensive research and analysis, resulting in some original conclusions (Vella et al. 2009; Vella 2012, 2013). It is worth pointing out at this stage that, in parallel, there were also structural works being carried out on the building. Conservation works at the National Museum of Archaeology, the former Auberge de Provence, had already been carried out on the outer masonry on Melita Street to eliminate water infiltration. Having a museum housed in a scheduled building is very prestigious, however this brings with it a number of challenges which practically dictate some display outcomes. With a multidisciplinary approach and great teamwork such challenges were always overcome and in some cases even turned to our advantage. Thus, for example, the space which existed under the timber flooring of the hall earmarked for the Phoenician period display was exploited to house a tomb reconstruction in order to give visitors a better understanding of one of the Phoenician burial meLhuJi>. The Limbe1 fiom ing beams were resloreJ, while the ones which had to make way for the tomb Malta Archaeological Review, 2012-2013, Issue 11 The Phoenician ''permanent" display at the National Museum of Archaeology, Malta reconstruction were stored underneath the same flooring as part of the reversibility process which we always adhere to. Challenges are constant but the rewards greatly outnumher them (Fig 1) ThP fPPcih<lrk WP rFcFiw~ci post-opening was very positive. The museum's comments book is evaluated on a monthly basis to assess if there are any things that need to and can be changed. At times the feedback gives positive new insights to decisions taken. One such example is the case of the main audiovisual which was filmed to give a better oral interpretation of the Phoenicians and their impact on the local scenario. Whereas our decision to film the narrator speaking in Maltese, and provide English subtitles, was purely a patriotic one, foreigners constantly comment that they are fascinated by the sound of the Maltese language, since as they rightly point out, they are rarely exposed to it during their stay on the islands. One may have noticed that the word permanent in the title appears in single quotation marks. The reason is simple. There is no such thing as a permanent display in a museum. As mentioned in the opening paragraph, a museum needs to acknowledge and appease visitors' needs, which are constantly changing, as should a museum display after a number of years, if one aims for a living museum and not a mausoleum. Acknowledgements I would like to thank all who were in one way or another involved in the setting up of the Phoenician Period Hall, in particular Heritage Malta staff, and Dr Nicholas C. Vella who provided valuable insight on the themes to be addressed and represented by the artefacts on display. References BLACK, G. 2005. The Engaging Museum. Developing Museums for Visitor Involvement. London: Routledge SuLTANA, S. 2008. Museums and Audiences - Bridging Gaps. Unpublished MA dissertation, University of Malta. VELLA, D., J. LICARI, N.C. VELLA, S. SULTANA & V. CIANTAR, 2009. Copy or authentic? Analysis of a Phoenician gold ring from the National Museum of Archaeology, Valletta, Malta, ArcheoSciences - Revue d'archeometrie 33 (2009): 349-55. VELLA, N.C., 2012. A face from the past: death ritual in Punic Malta, in C. DEL VAIS (ed.) Epi oinopa ponton: Studi sui Mediten-uneo a11tico ill ricordo di Giovmmi Tore: 299-314. Oristano: S'A.lvure. Malta Archaeological Review, 2012-2013, Issue 11 a b c /JJ'~L-~0 Q~. ~.J""r -~ ~ m~ ....... -FigurP. 2. (il-r) WorkinCJ rliln of thP rlisrlily iHPil ilnrl mntPnts in its progressive stages. 93 Sharon Sultana Figure 3. Section of the Phoenician Hall, National Museum of Archaeology, after completion . VELLA, N.C., 2013. Vases, bones and two Phoenician inscriptions: an assessment of a discovery made in Malta in 1816, in 0. LORET Z, s. RIBICHINI, W.A. WATSON & J. A. ZAMORA (eds) Ritual, Religion and Reason: Studies in the Ancient World in Honour of Paolo Xella (Alter Orient und Altes Testament series) : 589-605. Mi.inster: Ugarit-Verlag. 94 Sharon Sultana National Museum of Archaeology Auberge de Provence Republic Street Valletta MALTA sharon.sultana@gov. mt Sharon SULTANA is Senior Curator of the National Museum of Archaeology, also responsible for the archaeological and archival collections. She holds a B.A.(Hons) in Archaeology and M.A. in Cultural Heritage Management, and is also co-editor of Tesserae, the bi-annual official bulletin of Heritage Malta. Notes 1 Respondents could choose more than one option. Moreover 29.7% chose audio guides, 18.7% guidebooks and catalogues, and 10.9% take home leaflets. Other suggestions included interactive spaces especially for children, different types of media, simple language use, help at hand by staff, and more consideration for a wider audience including persons with disabilities and the illiterate. Malta Archaeological Review, 2012-2013, Issue 11 

The Phoenician "permanent" display at the National Museum of Archaeology, Malta

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The Phoenician "permanent" display at the National Museum of Archaeology, Malta

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