Questions Emerging From Artifact Analysis
For the Topics In Material Culture course, the first term assignment requires the development of a personal artifact analysis methodology, which is to be applied to an object. The result of the application will be a thesis statement for a research paper and website to be produced next term. To navigate throughout the site and learn more, follow the main navigation links at the bottom of the page, to the main categories of this website.
During the artifact analysis of the musical boxes, a number of questions arose concerning different aspects of the objects. They can be grouped according to general subject area: shapes and the music played, other questions associated with shapes and music, themes, advertising and marketing, and history.
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Shapes and Music |
Why are musical boxes not relegated solely to boxes, but take so many different shapes and forms? What are the basic overall forms and shapes used, and why? Why is there such variety in the musical tunes played? Are some tunes more frequently used than others? Why are there these preferences? Why are certain shapes and forms matched with certain musical tunes, and why are these pairings chosen over others? |
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Questions Associated With Shapes And Music |
Why and how do some musical boxes incorporate movement? Are there some shapes, forms or materials that lend themselves to movement more than others? Why do some musical boxes have an alternate function besides music and decoration? Are there some forms and shapes that are more suited to an alternate function? |
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Themes |
What themes occur regularly in musical boxes and why? Why are certain occupations shown and not others (ie ballerina)? Christmas is a popular theme in musical boxes, what about other holidays or seasonal themes? |
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Advertising And Marketing |
Where are musical boxes advertised? In catalogues, what section are they shown in – kids, home décor, accessories etc? Who is the market for musical boxes? Who buys them? For themselves or others? If others, who? |
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History |
How did musical boxes develop and why? Who first made them? |
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