Monday, December 29, 2008

More re new gallery at Liverpool World Museum

Huliq.com

I recently found out that a very old friend of mine, Jon Marrow, has been connected with this project. In my foolish youth we became friends when used to excavate the same sites in the UK (including a tar-filled Roman drain and a particularly cold wet cave which had Palaeolithic remains) Happy Christmas Jon! Stay warm and dry.

A major new gallery at the World Museum Liverpool looks at the incredible world of the Pharaohs and the remarkable culture that built the Pyramids and the Sphinx.

Ancient Egypt, opening this Friday 5 December 2008, contains 1,500 fascinating exhibits from the museum’s world-class collections. One of its great treasures – the vividly-coloured belt of the last great Pharaoh, Rameses III – is going on display for the first time since before the Second World War. Dating from 1180 BC, the monarch probably wore it in battle while riding his chariot. This is a unique survival from the ancient world – there is nothing like it even in Tutankhamen’s Tomb.

Among the items on display are the mummy said to have inspired H Rider Haggard’s classic fantasy adventure She, about a beautiful queen who lives 2,000 years waiting for her lost love before shrivelling up into a pile of dust. The best-selling Victorian author was a keen collector of artefacts and helped popularise Ancient Egypt.

Visitors can 'unwrap' a mummy without it being touched using a computer interactive.

Ancient Egypt follows the development of the kingdom from the time of Menes, the first king of Egypt who reigned around 3000 BC, through the days of the Pharaohs, up to the time of the last ruler – the legendary Queen Cleopatra, who died in 30 BC – into the Greek and Roman periods.

1 comment:

Brian Yare said...

I visited the new gallery on 17th December and was extremely disappointed.

Regarding "One of its great treasures – the vividly-coloured belt of the last great Pharaoh, Rameses III – is going on display for the first time since before the Second World War. Dating from 1180 BC, the monarch probably wore it in battle while riding his chariot. This is a unique survival from the ancient world – there is nothing like it even in Tutankhamen’s Tomb.", this is exhibited in a low case with glass top and sides. Immediately above the case is a videa screen (part of the audio-visuals) that causes such reflections as to make it almost impossible to see the contents of the case, or to read the description, which is on a black card at the rear of the case.

I'm sure that the museum was better when I used to work there, back in 1970. :-)

My main concern with this new gallery is that they have gone so far to make it accessible to the very young, and those in wheelchairs, that they've destroyed it for normal people.