Since the rise of the global sustainability movement in the 1970s, the three R’s - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - have been an important guiding principle for tackling the alarming rates of single-use objects that have become the norm in our society. These simple but effective principles have a much longer history than previously recognised, which is being revealed through archaeological studies worldwide.
This talk will introduce the archaeology of recycling, exploring the different methods ancient peoples employed to reuse and recycle everyday items. Examples from the museum's own collections combined with case studies from around the world will highlight creative practices of reuse and demonstrate how archaeological studies can inspire new, and old, solutions to our current global sustainability efforts.
The talk is presented as part of the program of National Archaeology Week 2026
Candace Richards is Curator, Antiquities and Archaeology, at the Chau Chak Wing Museum. Candace's research interests bring together ancient world studies with contemporary museum practice to re-evaluate how and why collections were formed and explore the ways archaeology and antiquities collections can offer new insights into human endeavour.
Candace specialises in Mediterranean archaeology and is currently completing her PhD investigating reuse and recycling practices in Nea Paphos, Cyprus from the Hellenistic period to modern day.
Image: Candace Richards conducting archaeological fieldwork on the distribution of reused and recycled materials in Nea Paphos, Cyprus
Header image: St Demetrios Loumbardiaris, Athens.
