Framing Charles Fellows's Lycian Collection in the British Museum: Geopolitics and Cultural Identities in the 19th Century

Abstract

This PhD dissertation investigates the framing of Lycia in the 19th century, with particular attention to the collection and reception of the Lycian antiquities in the British Museum. The analysis begins with a historical contextualisation of the period, focusing first on how Charles Fellows, a middle-class gentleman from a mercantile family, endeavoured to establish authority in antiquarianism by utilising his discoveries in Lycia and offering his services to the Trustees of the British Museum in collecting antiquities for the Museum.
This requires a comprehensive understanding of Victorian Britain, during which the middle class was gradually finding a place in society through reforms such as the 1832 Reform Act and the expansion of educational and professional opportunities. Yet, it was still not fully accepted in elite and aristocratic circles. The analysis then turns to the process of acquiring a firman (an imperial decree) from the Ottomans, which permitted the collection of the Lycian antiquities. This study contextualises the firman within the broader geopolitics of the Ottoman Mediterranean, thus also discussing the dynamics of Anglo-Ottoman relations in the first half of the 19th century. The analysis demonstrates how British influence was effective at the Ottoman court, relying on colonial leverage and the deterrent power of the Royal Navy. This section also raises the question of why the Ottomans allowed Britain to remove a substantial number of antiquities from Lycia, and how they themselves framed antiquities within their imperial territory in the broader context of Franco-British competition over antiquities collecting since the beginning of the century.
From this point, the study focuses on how the Lycian antiquities were collected through two military-backed expeditions between 1841–1842 and 1843–1844. In these expeditions, the Royal Navy not only transported the antiquities from the region but also excavated and dismantled them. Fellows was a key figure in these operations, superintending activities in the field. This section explores the role of collecting Lycian antiquities in the transition from early antiquarian methods to proto-archaeological practices, considering their impact on the value and integrity of the monuments.
Once the antiquities arrived at the British Museum, new debates emerged concerning their display. From its founding in 1759 until the arrival of the Lycian collection, the Museum had followed an exhibition doctrine that prioritised picturesque ideals, aiming to present antiquities in an aesthetic manner while showcasing their Hellenic features. This approach was shaped by Britain’s appropriation of Classical Greek civilisation, in cultural competition with France, which—by contrast—focused on Roman heritage under Napoleon. The Lycian antiquities, with their Near Eastern and local iconographic elements, did not fit neatly into this model. This dissertation investigates how the Museum framed these antiquities and examines Fellows’s role in pushing the institution to shift its approach from an aesthetic to a more ‘scientific’ one, prioritising historical context over the beau idéal in display.
The final part of the dissertation explores how the exhibition doctrine of the British Museum evolved towards a perceived scientific approach based on constructing a ‘Great Chain of Art’, following Winckelmann. It examines the context of the Lycian antiquities, considering whether they were seen as a link in that chain or relegated to the periphery. It also discusses the dismantling of their dedicated gallery in light of shifting attitudes in museums and archaeology towards the end of the century.