This book explores the concept of antiquarianism and recasts its role for a new generation. The term antiquarianism refers to engagement with the material heritage of the past - an engagement that preceded the modern academic discipline of archaeology. Antiquarian activities result in the elaboration of particular social behaviours and the production of tools for exploring the collective memory. This book is the first to compare antiquarianism in a global context, examining its roots in the ancient Near East, it's flourishing in early modern Europe and East Asia, and its manifestations in non-literate societies of Melanesia and Polynesia. By establishing wide-reaching geographical and historical perspectives, the essays reveal the universality of antiquarianism as a manifestation of the human mind and open new avenues for understanding the representation of the past, from ancient societies to the present.