ABSTRACT
Objects, artefacts, things. They are three-dimensional, visual, tactile and sometimes odorous and auditory manifestations of the past, yet for the historian this category of evidence possesses some challenging problems. According to Thomas Schlereth 'objects made or modified by humans, consciously or unconsciously, directly or indirectly, reflect the belief patterns of individuals who made, commissioned, purchased, or used them, and by extension, the belief patterns of the larger society of which they are a part'. 1 While the validity of material evidence is no longer suspect, how to unlock its secrets in a meaningful way remains a challenge. Historians learn effective ways to interpret written evidence, but what about its material counterpart? How can we extract meaning from things such as clothing, furniture, utensils, tools and machines and transparently present it to support and shape the arguments we make?
