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Perspectives on Collecting
Contrary to general traditional belief, the origins of collecting, as a systematic activity that refers to the satisfaction of symbolic rather than actual needs, was not an invention of the Renaissance. Collecting made its first appearance in European prehistory, was a subject of interest and debate for the ancient Greeks and Romans, and has been present continuously ever since. The books in this series are intended to discuss the phenomena of collecting from ancient times to the modern day. They seek to cast light, not only on the types objects that have been collected, but also on how such objects were acquired, and the political, social and personal motivations for creating collections.