Mummy (Terror at the British Museum)

For today's countdown to Halloween, an old horror classic. It's not Halloween without at least one mummy. This one comes from the gamebook Terrors Out of Time, one of my go-to book for interactive horror stories. But truly, the creature comes from the British Museum and has been animated by Baron Ausbach to cover his escape from the hero (hero played of course by the reader). The mummy here is little more than a glorified zombie, an undead doing its master's bidding. Nevertheless, it's always cool to have a mummy in a horror story, especially in a cool setting like the British Museum. Tactical advice if you ever play the book: use the knobkerrie against it, not the sword-stick. Otherwise, the blade might get stuck in it and you end up weaponless.

Bastet Plushy

This picture comes from the Facebook page of the British Museum.Today is International Cat Day and to celebrate, they are giving away plush toys of Egyptian goddess Bastet. I doubt I will win one, but she looks uber cool and uber cute.

November in one painting

I found this picture on the Facebook page of the British Museum. I loved it and I am sharing it here because, well, because it is a beautiful painting for one, and because it is very fitting. It is called November evening in a Welsh wood, from artist James Thomas Watts. I have never been in a Welsh wood, at least not that I can remember and I have never been to Wales in November, however this is very much how I see the month: cold, bare, a tad eerie and deliciously autumnal, with a dash of winter peeking.

Gilgamesh

This picture was shared yesterday on the Facebook page of the British Museum. It represents Gilgamesh and his sidekick Enkidu from, well, the Epic of Gilgamesh. The very first literary work, or at least the oldest surviving one. Which I actually have here, actually, I bought it I cannot remember when, just never got around to read it. But I intend to do it and this picture from the British Museum reminded me of it.

Japanese tea-bowl

On the treasures one can find on the Facebook page of the British Museum. This one, shared a few days ago, caught my attention. It is a te-bowl from Japan and it dates back to the 17th century. More information about it here. Not only is it beautiful, but it shows how refined and civilised tea drinking can be. As long as you drink it during a proper ritual, in a carefully designed bowl, not a common mug. And not a drop of milk in it.

Janus

I share this picture which I found on the Facebook page of the British Museum. It is a coin whith the depiction of the Roman god Janus. With one face looking at the past and another looking at the future. January is of course named after the god, so it is fitting that I share it here today. You can find more about the coin here. I have nothing else to add, except that a visit to the British Museum is long overdue. I might add it to my new year's resolutions.

The 11th Hour

I left the blog about Remembrance Day to the eleventh hour, when the Armistice was signed. I was idle and I procrastinated, however to my defense I would say that this is a fitting time for this post. And to commemorate, I share this picture taken from the Facebook page of the British Museum. They shared it today to commemorate Remembrance Day. It was made back in 1779by British artist Mary Delany (I know nothing about her). I have more poppies to share, but these ones will do for now.

The Coolest Chess Pieces

I found this picture in the Facebook page of the British Museum a few days ago. They are called Lewis Chessmen because they were found on the Isle of Lewis, but they were carved in Norway around 1150-1200. You can read more about it here. I shared them on this blog today because,while I have played chess since childhoodand owned many sets, I never ever seen such beautifully, meticulously crafted ones. And although I haven't played chess for years, I want to own a set like this one.

Jade Owl

I found this picture in the Facebook page of the British Museum. It is a pendant, probably reprensint an owl, made of jade. You can read more about it here. As I child, for some reason, I always thought jade was both exotic and mysterious, even though I never learned all that much about it. Be that as it may, this pendant caught my eyes: I love owls and I love jade. So I find it quite classy.

The Year of the Tiger

I found this picture in the Facebook page of the British Museum. It was shared to celebrate online the Chinese New Year. It's a tiger shaped bronze and thus fitting for this Year of the Tiger. More details about it here. I really want to go back to the British Museum. And I love tigers, so maybe this Chinese year will be good for me.

Jade teapot

I found this picture in the Facebook page of the British Museum. It is not an antique, it was actually made in 2017, by Chinese artist Yu Ting. It's on display in Room 33b, for those wishing to visit the place. I know I do. I wanted to share this picture because I love tea and because this got me thinking about something. Say what you will about the Chinese, and people in the Far East in general, but they sure know how to make and prepare tea. They turn it into an art. This teapot is a prime example of it. And I have a rhetorical question about this: who in his right mind, except a raving maniac, would spoil such delicate work by throwing a splotch of milk in it?

Ancient board games

I found this picture on the Facebook page of the British Museum. It is part of this blog post, to be precise. It represents a lion and a gazelle playing maybe the most ancient board games in the world, senet. I found this article fascinating, because it shows how much playing has been suchan important part of civilised life, and also because it reminds me how much I have been missing playing board  games. In fact, after the pandemic, it is something I have been promising myself to do again: discover and rediscover board games,old and new. In the meantime, I intend to blog abot them more regularly, as a recurring topic.

Greek Nativity Scene

After becoming the cradle of cilivilisation and of maybe the coolest mythology ever, Greece became the cradle of Christianity and maybe its true developer. Which is true also of its imagery. I found this picture on the Facebook page of the British Museum. It is of course a Nativity Scene. I found it quite interesting: the Virgin Mary (in traditional blue clothes) is at center stage and looks like she is resting after giving birth. I think it is a very naturalistic depiction of her and of a family when a newborn has just showed up.

Emperor Augustus

This picture comes from the Facebook page of the British Museum, which reminded me earlier this month that August is named after Emperor Augustus. I wanted to share the photo on the 18th of August, which is the anniversary of his death, but I forgot. So anyway, here it is. I have to say, when I see one of his portraits, I'm always surprised that he doesn't look like Brian Blessed. (I hope you can guess why I said that.) Be that as it may, you can easily believe just looking at this portrait why this man once ruled the Western world for 40 years. Anyway, on a side note the British Museum is reopening on the 27th of August. I won't go there any time soon, although I hope to visit it at some point in the future.

The lions of the British Museum

This picture comes from the Facebook page of the British Museum. They shared it recently because it was World Lion Day. I did not know such day existed, but I digress. The information given by the Museum regarding the statue: "This is one of the old British Museum Lions – cast-iron statues designed by sculptor Alfred Stevens in 1852 to sit on a low railing outside the Museum. The lions are around 35cm tall, and it’s thought that the regal posture was inspired by a particularly impressive cat belonging to one of the sculptor’s friends. " As a cat lover, I have no difficulties believing this. Now the railing has been dismantled and from what I understand there are no lions at the British Museum. Be that as it may, it reminded me that I want to go there not only for what's in it, but to enjoy the building itself.

Anglo-Saxon Helmet

This picture comes from the Facebook page of the British Museum. It is an Anglo-Saxon helmet found in a burial mound. More about it here. I share it here today for anyone who reads this blog and who is into history, archeology and buried treasures. Also as a reminder that England has an Anglo-Saxon heritage. I cannot wait to go back to the British Museum and see this artifact.

Roman Britain

This picture comes from the Facebook page of the British Museum. It is the statuette of a horseman and his horse made in Roman Britain in the 3rd or the 4th century. The rider probably had a spear in his hands. He now misses the spear and his left arm. You can read more about it here. I visited a long time ago (about twenty years now, I'd say) the section of the museum on Roman Britain and I remember enjoying it quite a lot. It showed a different perspective to Roman society, in a very remote and then exotic part of the Empire. I can't wait to see it again.

Hypnos

This picture comes from the Facebook page of the British Museum. It is a Roman sculpture based on a Greek original representing Hypnos, the Greek god of sleep. The caption said that: "his wings allowed him to move swiftly over land and sea, and to fan the foreheads of the weary until they fell asleep. His son was Morpheus, the personification of dreams." So Hypnos was pretty much the most useful Greek god, especially for insomniacs like me.

Pazuzu

Here is something else interesting that I found today on the Facebook page of the British Museum:the Mesopotamian demon Pazuzu. Over 2,600 years old, and still absolutely terrifying. I don't want to brag, but I knew about Pazuzu before I saw The Exorcist, where he is featured. But I knew little apart from its name and that he was a demon. The British Museum gives me more information: "Pazuzu’s image was regarded as a powerful antidote to plagues and misfortune. He is usually depicted with a scaly body, bird’s talons, the fore-paws of a lion and a scorpion's tail. He is often seen raising his right hand in a gesture of menace." Fearsome, but maybe not so bad after all, if he could protect people against plague and misfortune.

Feline netsuke

We have a new word of the day, which I literally learned today. It is provided by the Facebook page of the British Museum: netsuke. Which is a small Japanese sculpture, used on clothes. This one, shared today for Caturday, represents a cat. Here is some information about it: "At just 4cm tall this fuzzy feline would have been used as a toggle to attach personal belongings to a traditional Japanese kimono, which didn’t have any pockets." I love learning about cats through the ages and civilizations. I know we will not be visiting the British Museum any time soon, but when it is safe and open again, I think it should be one of our priority cultural outing, as a visit is long overdue.