
My Life as a Replica
St John's Cross, Iona
Windgather Press
Published on 25. March 2020
Book
Paperback/Softback
224 pages
978-1-911188-59-9 (ISBN)
Description
In 1970 a concrete replica of the St John's Cross arrived in Iona sitting incongruously on the deck of a puffer delivering the island's annual supply of coal. What is the story behind this intriguing replica? How does it relate to the world's first ringed 'Celtic cross', an artistic and technical masterpiece, which has been at the heart of the Iona experience since the eighth century? What does it tell us about the authenticity and value of replicas?
In this fascinating book, Foster and Jones draw on extensive interdisciplinary research to reveal the composite biography of the St John's Cross, its concrete replica, and its many other scale copies. They show that replicas can acquire rich forms of authenticity and value, informed by social relations, craft practices, creativity, place and materiality. Thus, the book challenges traditional precepts that seek authenticity in qualities intrinsic to original historic objects. Replicas are shown to be important objects in their own right, with their own creative, human histories - biographies that people can connect with. The story of the St John's Cross celebrates how replicas can 'work' for us if we let them, particularly if clues are available about their makers' passion, creativity and craft.
In this fascinating book, Foster and Jones draw on extensive interdisciplinary research to reveal the composite biography of the St John's Cross, its concrete replica, and its many other scale copies. They show that replicas can acquire rich forms of authenticity and value, informed by social relations, craft practices, creativity, place and materiality. Thus, the book challenges traditional precepts that seek authenticity in qualities intrinsic to original historic objects. Replicas are shown to be important objects in their own right, with their own creative, human histories - biographies that people can connect with. The story of the St John's Cross celebrates how replicas can 'work' for us if we let them, particularly if clues are available about their makers' passion, creativity and craft.
Reviews / Votes
...promotes a much deeper understanding of replicas' important role in object biographies, contemporary place-making and identities. Furthermore, it is a nice example of community archaeology which will be of interest to both archaeologists and heritage specialists. * Medieval Archaeology * The results of the ethnographic study, in particular, reveal fascinating insights into how attitudes to, and experience of, objects can be affected by the knowledge that they are replicas, and then reshaped by a fuller understanding of the research and thoughtful processes involved in constructing the replica. This makes it a useful case study for reflecting on the many replicas of monuments and artefacts around the world. As well as detailing the biography of an important monument, this excellent volume challenges ideas about authenticity and value in the presentation and interpretation of heritage. * Antiquity * I really can't say how much I enjoyed your wonderful book. I've already told my colleagues in my Team that it's required reading because it will change people's perspective, not just on replicas of course, but on community engagement, conservation, preservation of ruins, and restoration. * Historic Environment Scotland * ...a very densely packed, many-facetted, thought-provoking book. It is well worth taking time to read and ponder over. * Pictish Arts Society * The book is well-served by its integral appendices, bibliography and index and online by extensive 3-D imagery on Sketchfab. It makes a great addition to the libraries of all early medieval sculpture enthusiasts and Ionaphiles. * Archaeology Scotland Magazine * ...certainly an addition to our knowledge of what has been written previously about Iona, and there are also many fine photographs... * Folklore Society * The authors have done great service not simply to Iona, its people and those who admire the island, but to the global community of those who strive to achieve the best outcome for the built heritage. * Innes Review * The publication's carefully considered discussions are a complemented by a selection of wonderful images, offering a rich visual journey that places the Cross in the context of the local landscape and community, as well as within wider discussions about the place of sculptures and replicas. * Current Archaeology *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Macclesfield
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Illustrations
b/w and colour
Dimensions
Height: 244 mm
Width: 185 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Weight
635 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-911188-59-9 (9781911188599)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
04/2020
Oxbow Books
€25.99
Available for download

E-Book
04/2020
OXBOW BOOKS
€25.99
Available for download
Persons
Sally Foster is Senior Lecturer in Heritage and Conservation at the University of Stirling and former Principal Inspector of Ancient Monuments at Historic Scotland. Past publications include the bestseller Picts, Gaels and Scots and A Fragmented Masterpiece: Recovering the Biography of the Hilton of Cadboll Pictish Cross-Slab. Replicas, carved stones, the early church, authenticity, value, materiality, biography and landscape are dominant themes in her interdisciplinary research. Sian Jones is Professor of Environmental History and Heritage at the University of Stirling. She is an interdisciplinary scholar with expertise in cultural heritage, as well as the role of the past in the production of power, identity and sense of place. Sian has published widely on conservation, authenticity, social value and community heritage. Her books include The Archaeology of Ethnicity and A Fragmented Masterpiece.
Content
Acknowledgements
Preface
Introduction
The concrete and non-concrete (SF)
I. Crafting lives
1.Life as a replica (SF & SJ)
Replication and authenticity
Analogue replicas still matter
The St John's Cross and its copies matter
The lives and voices of replicas
Capturing lives: things, texts, images and people
Piecing it all together
2. Loving Iona (SF & SJ)
Island of crosses
Multiple communities
A 'thick' place
3. 'Priceless monuments' (SF)
Early antiquarian interest
New stewards, new horizons
'History versus Mystery; Science and Art versus Faith'
Island voices
Dead or alive?
II. Creating and cultivating the cross
4. Formation and reformation (SF)
Salvation, wounds and resurrection
Fragmentation
Antiquarian rebirth, earliest copies
Silent witness
The Fallen Cross
1. Birth of the concrete replica: 'I can't think of anything more worthwhile doing' (SF)
A slow conception
Fertile possibilities
'Miraculous success': an 'authentic prototype' for an 'authentic replica'
Erecting the replica in situ
For the love of Iona
Material matters, first impressions
Celebrating the 'virtually impossible'
MacLeod and the St John's Cross
New life, new values
6. From out of the shadows (SF)
Transformer
Reunited
Place in the world
The Iona brand
7. Glorious revelation: contemporary significance, values and authenticity (SF & SJ)
'Loaded objects': meanings and relationships
Place and space
Material evidence of 'pastness'
'Glorious revelation'
III. Celebration in concrete, celebration of concrete
8. New life, new thinking (SF & SJ)
Rethinking authenticity and value
Heritage implications
Creating knowledge and understanding
Understanding social value and authenticity
Securing for the future
Engaging and experiencing
New lives, new stories
Appendices
Appendix 1: Surviving physical remains of the St John's Cross, its 1:1 replicas and their production
Appendix 2: Archival sources
Appendix 3: Breakdown of ethnographic sources
Bibliography
Index
Preface
Introduction
The concrete and non-concrete (SF)
I. Crafting lives
1.Life as a replica (SF & SJ)
Replication and authenticity
Analogue replicas still matter
The St John's Cross and its copies matter
The lives and voices of replicas
Capturing lives: things, texts, images and people
Piecing it all together
2. Loving Iona (SF & SJ)
Island of crosses
Multiple communities
A 'thick' place
3. 'Priceless monuments' (SF)
Early antiquarian interest
New stewards, new horizons
'History versus Mystery; Science and Art versus Faith'
Island voices
Dead or alive?
II. Creating and cultivating the cross
4. Formation and reformation (SF)
Salvation, wounds and resurrection
Fragmentation
Antiquarian rebirth, earliest copies
Silent witness
The Fallen Cross
1. Birth of the concrete replica: 'I can't think of anything more worthwhile doing' (SF)
A slow conception
Fertile possibilities
'Miraculous success': an 'authentic prototype' for an 'authentic replica'
Erecting the replica in situ
For the love of Iona
Material matters, first impressions
Celebrating the 'virtually impossible'
MacLeod and the St John's Cross
New life, new values
6. From out of the shadows (SF)
Transformer
Reunited
Place in the world
The Iona brand
7. Glorious revelation: contemporary significance, values and authenticity (SF & SJ)
'Loaded objects': meanings and relationships
Place and space
Material evidence of 'pastness'
'Glorious revelation'
III. Celebration in concrete, celebration of concrete
8. New life, new thinking (SF & SJ)
Rethinking authenticity and value
Heritage implications
Creating knowledge and understanding
Understanding social value and authenticity
Securing for the future
Engaging and experiencing
New lives, new stories
Appendices
Appendix 1: Surviving physical remains of the St John's Cross, its 1:1 replicas and their production
Appendix 2: Archival sources
Appendix 3: Breakdown of ethnographic sources
Bibliography
Index