A NEW exhibition inspired by the arrowheads found buried with the famous Amesbury Archer opens at Salisbury Museum next month.

Alchemy: Artefacts Reimagined is the work of contemporary artist, Ann-Marie James, who was invited to explore the collections of four museums in Wessex and choose an object from each that would inspire a series of new artworks.

The exhibition, all in gold and white, is touring the museums. It is at Salisbury Museum from September 21 until January 4.

The arrowheads that inspired the Archer series of paintings were found in the grave of the Neolithic Amesbury Archer.

Ann-Marie said: “The arrowheads intrigued me because they were made from flint, which involved a great deal of expertise, care and craftsmanship. This feels at odds with their brutality – their barbed design prevented the arrow from coming out and ensured that the archer’s prey would bleed to death.

“I began by making simple line drawings of the arrowheads, which I then used to produce rubber stamps in a range of sizes. Using the rubber stamps with white and gold ink, I built the composition of each painting, which I then worked into using acrylic paint and 24ct gold leaf.”

Adrian Green, the director of Salisbury Museum, added: “Despite his modern name the Amesbury Archer was a metalworker buried with what are believed to be the earliest gold objects found in Britain. It is therefore very appropriate that Ann-Marie has chosen to use gold leaf for her fabulous art inspired by the archer.”

The other museums involved in the project are Wiltshire Museum, Poole Museum and Dorset Museum. For more go to saliburymuseum.org.uk