"Morning July 20 - British Museum - Roman Britian" London Travelogue by grandmaR

Mosaic

After breakfast at the hotel, we walked over to the British Museum, (one of my goals) entering the back way. I knew there would be a FREE guided tour (called an Eyeopener Tour) on Roman Britain (room 49) at 1100 (because I had gone to the site on the internet and printed out the tour schedule), so we went up to the starting point for that, and it was very interesting and informative.

The guide told us the significance of the tombs and mosaics that were there and about the silver that was found by someone plowing their field (the top item was a little damaged by the plow - these items are on loan and are considered one of the 10 most valuable items in Britain)

This mosaic is on the south wall. IIRC it was part of a farm building and was damaged by usage.

There was a model of a Roman camp, and the guide pointed out the flushing outhouses on the perimeter of the model.

She showed us the little wooden shim-like things that they wrote on. She said that up until those were found, everyone thought that people just wrote on papyrus or sheepskin or paper like material.

Exhibit of Roman figures

These wooden pieces were normally burned after use, so the fact that these were found was due to them getting wet and not burning. There was one there where someone was apparently practicing writing, and the teacher had corrected it, and written "Sloppy" on it.

There was also an invitation from the commander's wife of one camp to the commander's wife of another which was written by a scribe, and on the bottom, in different handwriting was an addendum which said something to the effect of "I'd be honored if you would come to my party". The guide said this was the first known instance of a woman writing.

Closeup A section of the frieze from the Parthenon

Then we went down to the main hall with the big dome window and Bob sat down while I tried to find out where the other things I wanted to see were, and also tried to find a bathroom. (Never actually got to the bathroom.)

After I connected up with him again, we walked in to see the Rosetta Stone which I consider enormously significant because it is the source of our ability to decipher hyroglypics (and I tried to explain what its importance was to Bob). It had so many people clustered around it that it was impossible to get a picture.

Then we walked back to see the Elgin Marbles (the frieze from the Parthenon). The frieze had been around the outside of the inner temple, and consequently in the original setting could only be seen from below at a sharp upward angle. Here, the frieze was displayed at viewing height all around the room on the walls. We sat down and contemplated them for a bit. The horses appeared to be racing, and in very shallow relief their legs were arranged in constantly varying patterns.

Mock battle (Roman gladiators)

It was Saturday, so the museum was very crowded.

They happened to be having a Roman day at the museum, with gladiator fights on the front lawn, auguries on the steps, tents and static displays in the forecourt all day long. This was very serindipitous since we had just done the Roman Britain tour.

These folks were demonstrating sword fighting, and they also showed how the armor was put on, and , later, how wounds were bandaged.

Ruler and wife watching gladiators

Since the museum was so crowded there was a line up (queue) for lunch, so we left the museum and stopped to watch some of the re-enactments and look at the exhibits on the way out to lunch.

This picture (in addition to showing the folks on the throne, which is why I took it) shows how much easier it is to scratch your butt in a toga.

We also walked around to the 'static' displays,

Roman armor and cavalry equipment

This was a semi-static display on Roman cavalry - the horse wasn't static, but the other stuff was just a display. I don't know if they rode the horse, or he was just a display object. The top picture is the horse closer up, with some children.

Roman re-enactor taking photo of other re-enactors

They had tents set up showing the kinds of things they ate, beds, pottery, weaving etc. The gentleman pictured is taking a photo of some ladies doing some kind of needlework. We left the forecourt area then, in search of lunch.

After lunch it is time to go to the London Eye