British Museum: The Exciting Conclusion

On our last full day in London, August 30th, we made our final visit--for this campaign--to the British Museum. Again, we were thwarted. The classical stuff we wanted to see was closed; still. Maintenance issues, we were told. We decided to look at the norteamericano archaeological stuff instead, and then spent the rest of our visit in Room #1, the former King's Library, later the British Library, and now the Museum's "Enlightenment" room (really a long hall), a hugely interesting collection in which the Museum reflects on its origins and founders, the Age, and its role in that Age and the growth of the sciences. This is museum introspection, which we are seeing more and more, especially in those institutions that have become more than the sum of their collections. 

In the American West, native costumes, etc.;

of which we saw plenty in our 13 years in Montana;

I had the privilege of knowing and working for

a variety tribal leaders, writers, and others in

those years

Smoking pipe; the stem would be wood; I bought one, not this
elaborate, in Pipestone, MN, in 1972; even smoked kinnikkinnick in it,
setting off fire alarms...

Possibly a Green River knife...acquired from
fur traders

Moving further north, this is an Aleut hat and cape,
made from sea mammal gut, cut, scraped and dried,
then sewn together with sinew...the cat would
definitely follow you around if you were wearing this 

Now we are south of the border

Most incredible find of the day: the Codex Zouche-Nuttall, a 14th
century painted screen fold-book, detailing the Mixtec dynasties
from the 8th century on...see description below

Pretty incredible!

Turquoise mosaic mask, Mixtec/Aztec, 15th century

Now we are in Room #1, the former King's Library, then, until
1997 or so, the British Library; when we first came to the British
Museum in 1979, it was still the Library...

Now the Enlightenment Room, as explained above...representing
how knowledge was organized in the days of the Museum's founding,
its contributions to that knowledge and organization...etc.

A New Zealand ceremonial axe, "brought by 
Captain Cook"; the age of exploration brought
many items to the Museum

Medallions of Cook apparently were popular both
before and after his death; this is a posthumous one

Sir Joseph Banks; accompanied Cook on the first

south seas voyage as botanist; associated with both

the Kew and the British Museum as a contributor, 

trustee

The age of great wealth accumulation in Britain depended
crucially on slavery and the Atlantic slave trade; here and
elsewhere the Museum is very candid and apologetic about
this; above, a depiction of an 18th century slave ship

Cases and cases of scientific instruments of the era

Also cases and cases of vases and other artifacts from
the ancient Mediterranean world, amassed by collectors, 
antiquarians, early archaeologists

Mosaic from Pompeii

The original flint axes that that began queries
about how long people had been in Britain...

Cases and cases of jade axes and other artifacts
collected and donated in the 18th and 19th centuries

The William Allen box...three trays of an antiquary's collection
of Roman/British artifacts; here, mostly silver pins and brooches

"Ancient" rapier, swords, and spear-head from a peat bog find in 1741;
pre-Roman; found without use of metal detector too!

So now we have moved on from room #1 to rooms #2 and #3,
where are displayed a few gifts from prominent members/collectors,
specifically, in #3, Baron Ferdinand Rothschild, of Waddesdon,
pictured above

The Ulm Book Cover, silver and parcel gilt, New Testament,
pre-Reformation, from the Ulm Munster (cathedral); nice, huh, Mel?

So if anyone needs gift ideas for me, an amber
beer tankard (silver gilt, of course) like this would
be nice; must be dishwasher safe, however;
Koenigsburg, mid-17th

Holy Thorn Reliquary, Paris, about 1400; enameled
gold; rubies, sapphires, and pearls (oh my!); Holy
Thorn not included

Exit through the gift shop; one among many gift shops at the
Museum; only this one is still in the King's Room area, so the
merchandise appears on the original old book and display cases

Thus; nice concluding touch! Bye, British Museum!