Our second day in London started with The British Museum.
The Reading Room; in 1897 it became one of the first public spaces in London to have electric lighting.
The Rosetta Stone. It was initially a stele created in Egypt to record a priestly decree issued on March 27th, 196 BC. It was found by French army officer Pierre-François Bouchard in July of 1799. The stone contained the same text in three languages: ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, Demotic script, and Ancient Greek. At the time it was found, no one was able to read Egyptian hieroglyphics - but the other two languages were known. This broken piece of stone became the key to deciphering Egyptian Hieroglyphics. Just over 20 years after it was found, researchers were finally able to read ancient Egyptian. This is such an important piece of history and something I had always wanted to see in person.
A close up of the stone with a reflection of the crowd of onlookers in the glass.
The back of The Rosetta Stone.
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| The goddess Sekhmet, Egypt, about 1390-1352 BC. |
Max admiring the Egyptian statues.
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| Detail from the Stela of Ity, Egypt, about 1951 BC. |
Ity and his wife receive offerings from their two sons.
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| Detail of the Statue of Nenkhefetka, Egypt, 2686 - 2181 BC. |
Remarkable how much paint remained visible.
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| Detail of Screen Slab of King Nectanebo I, Egypt, 664 - 332 BC. |
The king shown kneeling and offering a loaf of bread.
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| Photo by Max McDougall. |
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| Detail of the Colossal Guardian Lion, Assyrian, about 865 - 860 BC. |
An excerpt from the description: “This fierce, 15-ton lion symbolized Ishtar, the Assyrian goddess or war, and guarded the entrance to her temple.”
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| Detail of the Kurkh Stela, Assyrian, about 852 BC. |
A monument to King Shalmaneser III. The cuneiform inscription is a list of the king’s campaigns.
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| Detail of The Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III, Assyrian, 858 - 824 BC. |
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| Bronze Helmet of Corinthian Type, Greek, about 650 - 570 BC. |
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| Plate showing a winged goddess with a Gorgon’s head wearing a split skirt and holding a bird in each hand, probably Rhodes, about 600 BC. |
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| A detail from the Tomb of Kybernis, King of Xanthos, Lycia (south-west Turkey), about 480 BC. |
The north side of the tomb depicting a siren carrying what may represent the soul of the deceased. This pose is echoed by the mother carrying her child in the background to the right.
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| A detail from the Tomb of Kybernis, King of Xanthos, Lycia (south-west Turkey), about 480 BC. |
The west side of the tomb depicting three women.
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| Mirror supported by a woman holding a dove, Greek, about 470. |
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| Bellerophon and Chimaera, Melos, about 450 BC. |
The description reads: “Riding Pegasus, Bellerophon raises his sword over Chimaera. The beast takes the form of a lioness with a snake for a tail, and a goat emerging from the back. Such plaques as this were used to decorate wooden chests.”
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| Guardian Sphinxes, Lycia (south-west Turkey), about 460 BC. |
Max walking up to The Nereid Monument.
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| The Nereid Monument, Lycia (south-west Turkey), about 380 BC. |
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| The Elgin Marbles, under the direction of sculptor and architect Phidias, Greek, 5th century BC. |
The Elgin Marbles, a collection of Ancient Greek sculptures from the Acropolis of Athens. Gorgeous even in their damaged state. This collection, like many items in the British Museum, remains controversial due to the way it was taken from its country of origin.
A close up of a male deity, probably Dionysus, god of wine.
Such striking compositions, it must have been incredible to see them when they were finished at the Acropolis.
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| Marble portrait of an unidentified Hellenistic ruler, Roman copy of the 2nd century AD from a lost Hellenistic original, probably of the 2nd century BC. |
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| Gold oak wreath with a bee and two cicadas, Dardanelles (north-west Turkey), 350-300 BC. |
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Marble portrait of Alexander the Great, possibly Alexandria, 2nd - 1st century BC.
In the background: Portrait of a victorious poet, Hellenistic, about 150-50 BC. |
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| King Ramesses II, Egypt, 1550 - 1069 BC. |
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| Sarcophagus of Hapmen, Egypt, 664 - 525 BC. |
I loved the way the beams of light were shining on this sarcophagus.
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| Temple relief of King Osorkon II, Egypt, 1069 - 664 BC. |
King Osorkon II with his wife, Queen Karoma.
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| Sarcophagus lid, provenance unknown, 343 - 332 BC. |
The description reads: “The male figure wears a fringed Persian garb with a scarf over one shoulder. The owner lived during the second Persian occupation, also known as the 31st Dynasty. He was either a Persian official, perhaps the governor (satrap) himself, or an Egyptian who adopted Persian ways. The face was willfully destroyed, perhaps as soon as Alexander the Great had ended the harsh and hated Persian dominion.”
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| Detail of a wall, Assyrian, about 700 - 692 BC. |
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| Part of a stone monument showing vases with an endless flow of water, Mesopotamia, about 2150 BC. |
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| Inlay of two standing goats, Mesopotamia, around 2550 BC. |
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| Reconstructed head of a Sumerian woman, Ur (Iraq), no date listed. |
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| The Standard of Ur - “War” panel, Iraq, about 2500 BC. |
Another amazing piece I had seen in history books numerous times as a kid. It is referred to as a standard (a way of carrying colors or banners), but its actual purpose is not known. It is a box beautifully decorated on both sides with mosaics inlaid with lapis lazuli, shell, and limestone.
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| School tablet with proverb, location and date not listed. |
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| Bird omens, location and date not listed. |
The description reads: “These are omens drawn from the appearance and behavior of birds.”
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| The Royal Game of Ur, Iraq, 2600 - 2300 BC. |
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| Queen of the Night, Iraq, about 1750 BC. |
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| Memorial Stone, Iraq, about 900 - 800 BC. |
An excerpt from the description: “Set up by a son to honor his father. They are depicted together. Their shaven heads show that both were priests; the son, as was common, has adopted his father’s profession.”
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| The Babylonian map of the world, Iraq, 700 - 500 BC. |
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| Page from an Old Nubian book written on parchment, Qasr Ibrim (Egypt), 9th - 10th century AD. |
An excerpt from the description: “The extract preserved here describes the crowning and equipping of the Archangel Michael, whose name is written in red ink.”
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| Gebelein Man, Egypt, 3500 BC. |
The body of a man who died over 5,500 years ago, before Egypt was a unified country. At the time of his death he would have been about 18-25 years old. He was stabbed in the back and buried in a shallow grave. He was naturally mummified by the sand and dry climate.
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On the right: Heart Scarab of King Sobekemsaf I or II, Egypt, about 1600 BC.
On the left: Gold Ring naming King Antef VI, Egypt, about 1600 BC. |
On the right, a heart scarab made of green jasper. They were placed on the chest to ensure a safe passage into the afterlife. The inscription on the back is an early version of Spell 30B of the Book of the Dead, intended to prevent the heart from testifying against its owner. On the left, a gold ring with a scarab beetle made of lapis lazuli. This was for the burial of Antef’s wife, Queen Sobekemsaf.
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| Some figures from The Lewis Chessman, Scandinavia, about 1150 - 1200. |
Part of the famous Lewis Chessman set, a remarkable collection of walrus ivory chess pieces from almost a thousand years ago.
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| The Sutton Hoo Helmet, Anglo-Saxon, Late 500 - early 600 AD. |
This beautiful helmet was painstakingly reconstructed from the broken state in which it was found. It is just one of four complete helmets that survive from Anglo-Saxon England.
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| Shoulder-clasps, Anglo-Saxon, Late 500’s - early 600’s AD. |
Beautifully ornate shoulder-clasps. The intricate details and advanced cloisonné technique of having garnet inlaid over gold speaks to the extraordinary craftsmanship that went into making this object.
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| Purse-lid, Anglo-Saxon, Early 600 AD. |
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| Ceremonial Axe, Sudan, 1800 - 1900. |
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| The Great Torc, English, Buried around 100 BC. |
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| Gold Lunula, Irish, About 2400 - 2000 BC. |
Max and I decided to take a break and enjoy some afternoon tea in the museum cafe.
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| The Carthage Treasure: Parure of Jewelry, Tunisia, 300 - 400 AD. |
This remarkable set of jewelry, made with emeralds, sapphires, and pearls, looks surprisingly timeless.
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The Lothair Crystal, Carolingian, 855 - 869 AD.
The copper-gilt mount was added in the late 1400’s. |
The description reads: “This engraved rock crystal was probably made for the Carolingian King Lothair II (855 - 869 AD) and is an example of the spectacular wealth and art of the Carolingian Empire. Its engravings tell the Biblical story of Susanna and the Elders, in which Susanna is accused of adultery before being found innocent by the prophet Daniel. Rock crystal was a very hard material that required great skill to work, making this object even more remarkable.”
A close up of the breathtaking detail and craftsmanship.
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| Carolingian Rock Crystal, French, 846 - 869 AD. |
An excerpt from the description: “Engraved on the back is the Crucifixion of Christ, which appears magnified from the front due to the crystal’s domed shape. The metal frame and chain are modern additions.”
Max with a large hanging cauldron.
Max with the plaster cast death mask of Napoleon Bonaparte, made just two days after his death by C. Francesco Antommarchi.
A dazzling array of diamond jewelry from across Europe throughout the 1800’s.
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| Diamond Oak-Leaf Tiara, English, made by Hunt & Roskell, About 1855. |
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| Lady Granville’s Egyptian-style Beetle Jewelry, English, made by Phillips Brothers, 1884 - 1885. |
An excerpt from the description: “The lotus motifs recall ancient Egyptian ornamentation but the weevils (a type of beetle) are South American.”
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| Necklace and Earrings, made by Cartier London, 1954. |
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| Flower Brooch, Italian, made by Bulgari, Late 1940’s. |
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| Ceremonial Axes, India, 1700 - 1800’s. |
One more look at The Rosetta Stone.
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| Double-Headed Serpent, Aztec, 15th - 16th centuries. |
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| Lintel 24, Mayan, about 725 AD. |
An excerpt from the description: “One of three lintels from Structure 23 at Yaxchilan, this scene depicts Lord Shield Jaguar and his principal wife Lady Xoc engaged in a bloodletting rite that took place on October 28th, 709 AD. The king stands on the left brandishing a flaming torch to illuminate the drama that is about to unfold. Kneeling in front of him wearing an exquisitely woven huipil (loose-fitting tunic), Lady Xoc pulls a thorn-lined rope through her tongue. The rope falls onto a woven basket holding blood-soaked strips of paper cloth.”
A lovely building across the street from the museum.
One of the iconic red phone booths.
We decided to ride the bus to our next destination, but accidentally got on a bus in the opposite direction. We still had a lovely ride and enjoyed our little detour.
