The aim of this thesis is to explore the concept of spolia and its analytical potential. The historical development of the concept from Roman antiquity to the present is examined, focusing on specific turning points, and two artefacts – a set of columns and a vase from the National Museum in Stockholm – are analysed. The different sections of the thesis are intertwined through methodological thematizations of power, violence and temporality. By activating older meanings of spolia, as well as introducing new ones, the concept is expanded through the study. It becomes a critical tool useful in understanding composite objects, which are analysed in terms of form, function and migratory paths. The study revolves around a contemporary museum setting but moves between several contexts and time periods. The expanded, critical concept that this thesis develops can therefore be used in other studies.