Friday, July 30, 2021

British Museum, 1

Since it's the closest major site, we have gotten there three times now and probably will go at least three times more, especially when they've opened more of it. Currently the Greco-Roman section has been closed (tidying up?) when we visited. But we've already done the Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian and other Near and Middle Eastern stuff and moved on through the older British stuff. We are slow museum tourists, and we tire now after a few hours. But we know we can come back. Free admission. We're trying to build up our museum endurance, especially for the Louvre, which, unlike these British museums, does not feature free admission. 

Among the preceding 3700 posts are several from previous visits to the British Museum, and they may convey a more balanced representation, which I leave for collateral reading. For this campaign, I think I'll stick to things that are favorites, new to us, or otherwise amusing.

No lines, no crowds

Normally you'd have to push and shove for about
ten minutes to get this close to the Rosetta Stone






Some of Ashurbanipal's library; all tablets, no less (Kindles? Apples?);
7th BCE

So why couldn't the Louvre do something like this and get rid
of the hideous pyramid?

So now we are back into my comfort zone, jade
hafted axes...










































































And the world of torks, hoards, and helmets (oh my)

The Great Tork...don't step on the scale with this puppy around your neck:
1st century BC, the craft required to do this is pretty incredible
































Sutton Who?

Favorite chess set...Lewis



































Queen always looks to me like she's
not so sure about this gambit thing

Excellent reception


















Ingenious sex-crazed ancient Brits


















So the BM is littered with hoards in its British section; worth millions;
not all are from the Viking era, however; note above, from the War of 
the Roses, 15th; I would hope that the metal detector has become 
standard equipment on every British farm...

1 comment:

Tawana said...

Love your comments!