Collecting Egypt

The Posting of "Cursed" mummy pieces

noreply@blogger.com (Bev Rogers) — Tue, 31 Oct 2017 08:52:00 +0000

The discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun is remembered for many things: beautiful objects such as the golden throne and regal Anubis statue, the vivid wall paintings found wonderfully preserved inside the tomb and the exquisite gold coffins which contained the mummy of the King. The excitement of the find left a huge legacy in terms of ancient Egyptian design, replicated in fashion, jewellery, furniture and architecture. Tutankhamun even caused quite a stir in the field of entertainment, where he became the inspiration for many songs, books and films. The boy king's re-emergence, and the press coverage that followed, caused major interest around the world, where the name Tutankhamun became synonymous with glamour, wealth and the exhilaration of treasure finding. Today, the interest in him is still going strong as attested by the many television documentaries and books devoted to him. It is, however, the story of a less well known outcome of Tutankhamun's discovery that caught my eye this week as I was trawling through some old newspapers.

The Nottingham Evening Post's provocative headline "Curses" of Ancient Egypt Ridiculed by Cairo Museum Keeper", featured in its issue on 1 May 1937 . The Keeper in question was a Mr Reginald Engelbach, who in his former role as Chief Inspector of Antiquities in Upper Egypt, had been in the envious position of witnessing the discovery first hand. The newspaper reported on how Endelbach had become involved in the discovery on a very personal level - a by-product of the so-called curse of Tutankhamun.

Local rumours of a curse had arisen soon after the opening of the tomb when the excavator Howard Carter's canary had been killed by a cobra, the symbol of Egyptian kingship. The implication was that it was a sign of the pharaoh's displeasure at being disturbed. An account of the incident was reported by The New York Times on 22 December 1922 which brought the news to the wider public's attention. The death of the financial backer of the excavation, Lord Carnarvon, some 4 months and 7 days after the opening of the tomb, fuelled the story of the curse further. Reports of how he was bitten by a mosquito, which became infected after he cut himself whilst shaving, received world-wide press coverage and the curse became cemented in legend.

Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon during the opening of Tutankhamun's tomb Image via The Mirror (Via Getty)

As a consequence, the 'curse' story caused panic amongst many members of the public who had bought ancient Egyptian souvenirs during their visit to the country and who now believed that these objects had in some way become infected with similar curses. Endelbach became overwhelmed with objects arriving from around the world, as the postal service became a conduit for the transport of shabtis, amulets, scarabs and hundreds of pieces of human corpses. Shrivelled heads, hands, legs, bony feet, arms, fingers and toes were hastily wrapped and dispatched with requests for them to be re-buried in their native soil. Such was the volume of packages, by the end of his time in Luxor, Endelbjach's garden resembled, in his words, a 'large-sized cemetery'.

Objects and body pieces continued to arrive back to Egypt for many years after the original opening of Tutankhamen's tomb. Some of these objects were obviously fakes, whilst others were of considerable value. All had one common denominator however - the owners believed them cursed. Two very fine shabti figures were sent by a British Diplomat with an accompanying letter warning that they used to move about at night. Despite Endelbach keeping them in his bedroom for several days however, he reported that 'their behaviour was beyond criticism' and that they gave 'no cause for complaint'. In fact, as the Keeper wryly stated, 'without exception' every object he was sent behaved in an 'exemplary manner'. Endelbach clearly had no time for the so-called curse theory!!!

Image via The British Museum

David Suzuki travels to Egypt's monumental pyramid in season premiere of CBC's The Nature of Things

noreply@blogger.com (Bev Rogers) — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 15:21:00 +0000

Image credit - Gwyn Williams

I have just been sent news of an exciting upcoming documentary called The Nature of Things: Lost Secrets of the Pyramids, which premieres this Sunday, 29th October, at 8pm on CBC.

This one hour special takes viewers on a journey to Egypt where David Suzuki speaks to archaeologists who have recently unearthed never-before-seen artefacts that help explain how The Great Pyramid of Egypt was built.

Using immersive CGI imagery and unique access to ongoing new excavations, Lost Secrets of the Pyramid is described as a breath-taking dive into the vanished world of the Ancient Egyptians. The use of stunning aerial drone footage and dynamic experimental archaeology makes this a rare and remarkable portrait of the pyramid and the people who built it.

The documentary will also be available to watch online at cbc.NatureofThings on Friday, October 27 from 5 p.m. ET.

Image credit - Gwyn Williams

We went ghost hunting in one of Wales's most haunted pubs and this is what happened...

noreply@blogger.com (Bev Rogers) — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 16:56:00 +0000

Not Egyptology...but this video has local Swansea history, lots of talk about ghosts and me in the background at the amazing and atmospheric Prince of Wales Inn at Kenfig!!!!

Wales Online

Exciting New Exhibition Opens - Egypt Uncovered: Belzoni and the Tomb of Pharaoh Seti I

noreply@blogger.com (Bev Rogers) — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 07:39:00 +0000

© The Trustees of Sir John Soane’s Museum
Joseph Michael Gandy, ciew of part of the collection of Antiquities from the head of the Soros, September 8th 1825

One of my favourite museums - the Sir John Soane’s Museum in London - is hosting what promises to be an exciting exhibition between 11 October 2017 and 15 April 2018. To coincide with the 200th anniversary since the discovery of the tomb of Pharaoh Seti I by the Egyptologist Giovanni Battista Belzoni (1778–1823), the exhibition entitled Egypt Uncovered: Belzoni and the Tomb of Pharaoh Seti I reveals the story behind the Museum’s most treasured possession.

Known as ‘The Great Belzoni’, Giovanni Battista Belzoni was one of the most famous and pioneering explorers of his age, and played a crucial role in the development of Egyptology as a scientific discipline. A former circus strongman based in London, in 1815 Belzoni took up the role of engineer in Egypt, charged with the removal of large and heavy antiquities. This included the seven-ton bust of Pharaoh Ramesses II, taken from the king's memorial temple at Luxor that now sits in the British Museum.

On 17 October 1817, Belzoni made his finest discovery: he found the tomb of Ramesses’ father, Seti I comprising ten vividly painted chambers decorated with thousands of hieroglyphs, and Seti’s elaborately carved white alabaster sarcophagus.

Seti reigned for 13 years (BC 1291–1278), and was a great military pharaoh of the 19th dynasty, pursuing campaigns in Syria and Lebanon. Seti’s reign marked a period of re-birth for Egypt, during which art and culture reached a sophistication rarely equalled in subsequent centuries. This is evident in the quality of the reliefs in Seti’s tomb, which were among the most sophisticated in the Valley of the Kings. Belzoni found the wall paintings in excellent condition with some of the artists’ brushes and paints even left on the floor. Belzoni and his assistant Alessandro Ricci meticulously copied the reliefs in a series of stunning watercolours, a number of which, on loan from Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, feature prominently in the exhibition.

© Bristol Culture: Bristol Museums and Art Gallery
Giovanni Belzoni / Alessandro Ricci, Seti I before Isis and Anubis, c. 1821.

The huge alabaster sarcophagus which originally held Seti’s mummified remains was removed by Belzoni and eventually purchased by John Soane in 1824, who gave it pride of place in the Sepulchral Chamber at the heart of the Museum. According to Belzoni, the sarcophagus ‘merits the most particular attention, not having its equal in the world, and being such as we had no idea could exist.’ The exhibition brings the story of the sarcophagus up to date. Alongside Belzoni’s accounts of its discovery and tales of the high profile ‘sarcophagus parties’ Sir John Soane held in 1825 for ‘distinguished fashionables and literary characters’ to celebrate his purchase, the exhibition also presents more recent conservation and research into the object. In addition, the exhibition will feature a new high-resolution 3-D digital scan of the sarcophagus by Factum Arte, which will be displayed adjacent to real fragments of its broken lid.

Bruce Boucher, Director of Sir John Soane’s Museum says: ‘The Sarcophagus of Seti I is Sir John Soane’s Museum greatest treasure and has captivated visitors since its installation in 1824. The exhibition will feature wonderful loans from Mougins Museum of Classical Art, the Daniel Katz Gallery, the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, and the British Museum, as well as objects from our own collection. It offers an opportunity to mark an important bicentennial and to explore the fascinating stories around this exceptional work of art.’

A public programme of activities for children and families centring on the discovery of the tomb and Seti’s sarcophagus will be accompanied by curator led talks and a Sarcophagus themed ‘Soane Late’ night event aimed at adults.

© Musée d’Art Classique de Mougins (MACM)
Giovanni Belzoni / Alessandro Ricci, Seti I wearing a wig and the sacred uraeus, 1817- 20.

A fully illustrated book accompanies the exhibition, published by Pimpernel Press. Sir John Soane’s Greatest Treasure: The Sarcophagus of Seti I has been written by Dr John Taylor, Assistant Keeper, Department of Ancient Egypt and Sudan at the British Museum, with an essay by Helen Dorey, Deputy Director and Inspectress of Sir John Soane’s Museum.

Egypt Uncovered: Belzoni and the Tomb of Pharaoh Seti I is kindly supported by Daniel Katz Gallery, London, with additional support from Christian Levett.

Visitor Information
The museum is open free: Tuesday to Saturday inclusive, 10am-5pm. It is also open on the first Tuesday evening of each month from 6-9pm. www.soane.org

Meet Tutankhabun, the ancient Egyptian bunny!

noreply@blogger.com (Bev Rogers) — Tue, 17 Oct 2017 16:11:00 +0000

I have started to receive requests to review products for the blog which have an Egyptian theme to them!!! As a enthusiastic collector of all things Egyptian myself, I am pleased like to share a selection of these with you which I particularly love.

In this first review blog post, I am really happy to feature the work of artist Natalie Heaven. I first came across Natalie's work on Etsy earlier on in the year and immediate fell in love with her beautiful and fun designs which are worked in watercolour, pencils and ink.

There are five ancient Egyptian themed designs to choose from - a gorgeous dog (Shiba Inubis) dressed in an Egyptian headdress, collar and sandals; a cute bird (Neferbirdie) wearing an Egyptian crown; an Egyptian Queen guinea pig (Cleopigtre); a colourful turtle with a nemes headpiece and my favourite, the very regal 'Tutankhabun' rabbit!

Natalie has plenty of other design themes to choose from, including 'America', weddings, cats, dogs, birds and unicorns to name just some of them! Her Christmas range can also now be found on her page too.

She is frequently introducing new designs to her collection which can be purchased on mugs, wooden coasters, prints, greeting cards and as original art. Many items can be customisable by request and make great individual presents. It is also a great opportunity of collecting unique, affordable art and it comes with a certificate of authenticity signed by Natalie herself. All are beautifully designed and produced to the highest quality.

Natalie lives in Staffordshire, so posting comes from the UK. Delivery is very prompt and arrives beautifully packaged!!! My products came in a sturdy box, wrapped in lovely ribbon and with some beautiful handmade seals.

The quality of the products I received were outstanding and the 'Tutankhabun' mug has become my favourite 'go to' mug!

Disclosure: “I have been given a selection of products as part of a product review . Although the products were a gift, all opinions in this review remain my own and I was in no way influenced by the seller."

To view Natalie's work and the products she has on offer, click on the link below:

Natalie Heaven

My favourite objects at the Egypt Centre - the video!

noreply@blogger.com (Bev Rogers) — Sat, 14 Oct 2017 16:34:00 +0000

Recently I was asked to talk to Wales Online about my favourite 5 objects at the Egypt Centre. See the objects I chose in this short video below:

These are the rare treasures of Wales' largest ancient Egypt collection

Me on the left with Syd Howells (Volunteer Manager) and Lauren Wale (Shop Manager)

Curse Scorned

noreply@blogger.com (Bev Rogers) — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 12:29:00 +0000

Mrs. Elizabeth Hurst, of the Nursery Tavern, Ecclesall road, Sheffield, who bought an Egyptian mummy at an auction last week, scorns talk of a curse upon those who tamper with Egyptian relics. She is going to have the mummy opened, to discover what is inside the case.

An Egyptologist, living at Pitsmoor, will examine it first.

"Nothing unusual has happened since I bought the mummy" she said last night, "and I am sure that nothing will."

Sheffield Independent

16 June 1938

I would love to know who the Egyptologist was and what they found...can anyone shed light on this?

Curse of the Mummy's Hand...

noreply@blogger.com (Bev Rogers) — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 10:48:00 +0000

IMAGE via Oddities and Curiosities

A fabulous story about a mummy's hand was recounted on Monday 13 August 1934 in the Western Daily Press and Bristol Mirror. It reported the sudden and unexpected death of Mr Jean Julien Romain Van Der Elst, aged 42, who was a well-known collector of antiquities. Mr Van der Elst, a descendant of the famous Flemish painter, Rieter Van der Elst, lived at Addison Lodge, Addison Road, where he kept many antiques, including a large collection of Chinese objects. It was however Mrs Van Der Elst, a self-proclaimed student of witchcraft, who claimed responsibility for introducing the mummy's hand into Addison Lodge.

Three year's previous to her husband's unfortunate death, Mrs Van Der Elst had bought the hand in Egypt from a local Bedouin. An archaeologist then declared into be 7000 years old and to be the hand of a princess. 'My husband never wanted it' she declared to the reporter, 'but it was my unbridled desire to have it'. Since that time, she and her husband had been constantly ill and unable to sleep. When her husband managed to doze, he consistently dreamt of the hand trying to strangle him.

Unable to live with the cursed hand any longer, she threw the mummified hand into the fire. Instead of it igniting immediately, the 'beautiful manicured hand' remained like stone and took 3 whole hours to be destroyed. Still worrying about the power of the hand's curse, she took to wearing a protective charm to ward off evil but the charm became lost soon after.

Mrs Van Der Elst concluded that 'Now he is dead. It is a great tragedy. I don't know what caused his death...'

What a great story!

"When the mummy of my child reaches you, keep guard until I arrive"

noreply@blogger.com (Bev Rogers) — Fri, 07 Jul 2017 09:02:00 +0000

Image via Egypt Centre

These are the poignant words found on a wooden label held in the Egypt Centre in Swansea. This simple tabula anisette shaped item, with its 4 holes for attachment, was placed on a mummy as an identification tag.

During Graeco-Roman times (332 BC-AD 395), people who died away from home were usually taken back for burial in their local cemeteries. To make sure that the deceased were identified correctly when they reached home, the sender would put a label around the neck of the mummy - inscribed in Greek or demotic language, or more rarely in hieroglyphics - with the name of the deceased and, sometimes, further information about the person who had died, such as their age or home town. The labels were either made from wood or from stone and, for those who could not afford a proper tomb and were interred in mass graves or simply buried in the desert sand, they may have acted as a replacement for traditional stelae.

This label (accession number W549) has 7 lines of Greek written in ink which has been translated as:

'Hermiysis, [son] of Kollouthos, farewell! Kollouthos to Kallistos: When the mummy of my child reaches you, keep guard until I arrive.'

Kollouthos is apparently sending the embalmed body of his son Hermiysis to someone called Kallistos. The relationship between Kollouthos and Kallistos is not clear: they may have been related, or Kallistos may have been employed in the funeral trade. Alternatively, Kallistos could be a shipping agent or boat captain. The name suggests Greek rather than Egyptian extraction. Kallistos' instructions were to await the arrival of Kollouthos before proceeding with the transport of the body.

Before arriving at the Egypt Centre, the label was in the Henry Wellcome Collection (London). Wellcome purchased the label from the Rev. William MacGregor Collection (Tamworth, Staffordshire) in 1922 via Sotheby's Auction House, London. It was described in the original auction catalogue as being part of Lot 643: ' 'Three others, inscribed in Greek, and a fragment of a wooden tablet, inscribed in Coptic, with original string for hanging.' It was sold to Wellcome for £1 1s . The find site was appears to be from Akhmin, a place where many other wooden mummy labels have been found.

There are thousands of mummy labels in collections around the world which makes them an invaluable census resource for the Ptolemaic and early Roman Period. It is unfortunate however that the accompanying bodies to which the labels were attached have rarely survived or been recorded.

Further Information can be found here:

Piotr Bienkowski, P. and Tooley, A., Gifts of The Nile: Ancient Egyptian Arts and Crafts in Liverpool Museum., 1995., 82; pl.131.

Egypt Centre

Gee, R. and Gill, D. Journal of Hellenic Studies 1996, 261.

Mueller, D. Three Mummy Labels in the Swansea Wellcome Collection. The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, Vol. 59 (Aug., 1973), pp. 175-180.

Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge. Catalogue of The MacGregor Collection of Egyptian Antiquities, 1922.

The Global Egyptian Museum

University College London

Vleeming, S.P. Demotic and Greek-Demotic mummy labels and other short texts gathered from many publications, Peeters, 2011, p. 523.

Vermont Grave of a 'Prince' of Egypt

noreply@blogger.com (Bev Rogers) — Thu, 29 Jun 2017 15:29:00 +0000

The grave of Amun Her-Khep-Esh-Ef

Image via Find a Grave (Gregory Speciale)

Close up of the headstone

Image Atlas Obscura via OTIS

An unobtrusive headstone in Middlebury Cemetery in Addison County, Vermount marks the spot of an unusual burial. It is of someone who is far from home and older than the other residents by thousands of years. Inscribed with a Christian cross, an Egyptian ankh and a simplistic drawing of a bird, the marker states:

'Ashes of Amum-Her-Khepesh-Ef
Aged Two Years Son of Sen Woset 3rd
King of Egypt and his wife
Hathor-Hotpe
1883 BC'

So how did the remains of a prince of ancient Egypt come to be in Vermont?

It is all thanks to a local collector named Henry Sheldon.

Henry Luther Sheldon (1821-1907), born into a third generation farming family, grew up on the family farm in Salisbury, Vermont. Sheldon developed a love of collecting early on in life when he was introduced to autograph collecting by his brother. He wrote regularly to politicians and authors so that when they replied he could add their signatures to his collection. After leaving the farm in 1841, Sheldon held down a series of jobs, undertook a variety of business ventures and invested in real estate. In his late fifties, being comfortably well off, he rediscovered his earlier love of collecting, acquiring an extensive coin collection which he displayed at his home in Park Street. Over time his collecting became more eclectic and diverse and his diaries tell of him acquiring items far quicker than he could organise them. In the late 1880s, Sheldon arranged to purchase an Egyptian mummy to add to his collection. He arranged for it to be sent to his home but was disappointed when it arrived for it was in bad condition and wasn't worth displaying. Sheldon put it out of sight in his attic where it remained for decades.

After Sheldon's death in 1907, the museum gathered dust, tended only by a caretaker. It wasn't until the 1930s that it was resurrected by W. Storrs Lee of Middlebury College and art historian Arthur K.D. Healy. With the help of local support, the museum's vast collection came back to life. In 1945, George Mead, the Museum's Director, found the child mummy in storage at the museum and took the decision to have it cremated. The ashes were then given a Christian burial, hence the Christian cross on the headstone. The mummy's Egyptian heritage was also acknowledged by the engraving of the Egyptian ankh - the symbol of everlasting life - and the bird which represented the 'ba' hieroglyph or soul of the deceased. The ashes were placed in Mead's own family plot in Middlebury Cemetery opposite the Middlebury College Museum of Art.

Local legend claimed the infant as being Amum-Her-Khepesh-Ef, son of the 12th Dynasty Egyptian king Sen Wroset III (also known as Senwosret III or Sesostris III). This identity however has never been properly attributed and is unlikely to ever be so. Today, however, the story of the 'Egyptian Prince in storage' lives on in Vermont folklore and the grave remains a popular attraction.

The Dolly Mare of Llangennith

noreply@blogger.com (Bev Rogers) — Mon, 06 Feb 2017 17:59:00 +0000

The stone effigy, known locally as the 'Dolly Mare', can be found at the Parish Church of St Cennydd which is located in the centre of the small village of Llangennith, Gower in South Wales. The effigy is one of several stone artefacts located within this church, the site of which dates back to the 6th century when it was founded as a religious retreat by St Cennydd.

The figure is not identified by any plaque or inscription but may be a member of the De la Mare family who owned nearby Oxwich Castle - images of a De La Mare and his lady can be found at Oxwich Church.

The knight, made of Dundry limestone, has lost its legs and is a little worn but you can still make out that the knight is wearing a chain-mail helmet and collar over which is worn a tunic. There is a shield on his right shoulder, a belt at his waist and his hands are placed upon a sword to the left of his body. This style of armour places his death at around 1260.

The figure can be found to the right of the church door as you enter. Originally it was placed at the south side of the nave where it rested within a niche.

Photographs by B Rogers

Information collated from Local Boy Makes Good: The legend of St Cenydd (available to purchase from St Cenydd's Church)

First glimpse at new Bolton Egyptology gallery

noreply@blogger.com (Bev Rogers) — Tue, 10 Jan 2017 16:52:00 +0000

Rotunda ©Leach Studio

Bolton Museum has revealed for the first time how its new Egyptology gallery could look.

Conceptual designs for the Eternal Egypt gallery have been drawn up by Huddersfield-based exhibition

designers Leach Studio. The images show four different stages of the potential visitor experience to Eternal Egypt.

However, the designs are continually evolving and interested parties will be invited to give feedback in the

New Year on what they think works and how they would like the exhibition space to look.

On entering the exhibition, visitors look set to be welcomed by an area called the Rotunda which will set the

scene and give an explanation of why Bolton Museum has such an extensive Egyptology collection. A section

named Land & People has also been proposed which will be devoted to artefacts showing the everyday life of

Egyptians. The focus will be on subjects like the environment and beauty, and feature an interactive mummy

as centrepiece.

The Eternal Egypt experience could then take visitors through to the darkened Beliefs section – focussing on

death and the afterlife – before leading to the museum’s facsimile tomb of Thutmose III. The tomb is a full size

reproduction of the Pharaoh’s burial chamber which will be the jewel in the crown of the exhibition.

Finally, the Reflections area could live up to its name and offer visitors the chance to reflect on why Boltonians

are similar to Ancient Egyptians, looking at the similarities between the two groups hundreds of years apart.

The images will be shared on the museum’s Facebook page, and amongst community groups and school groups,

to establish the public’s views on the designs.

More detailed concepts will then be drawn up in early 2017 and final designs submitted in the Spring, with the

museum re-opening to the public in 2018.

Bolton Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Youth and Sport, Cllr John Byrne, said: “As initial concepts for the

new Eternal Egypt gallery, these designs are really exciting and give a flavour of what our museum could look like.

“These designs are subject to change as we are just at the start of this creative journey, but I can’t wait to see

the finished gallery and welcome visitors to our fantastic museum. We’d love to hear what people think and

would encourage them to get involved on social media.”

Nichola Ward, Head of Creative, Leach Studio, said: “We’re delighted to be involved in such an exciting project,

and look forward to working with the Bolton community as our creative designs begin to evolve. Museum and

heritage is at the heart of our business and we can’t wait to bring Egyptology to life!”

To keep up to date with what’s happening at Bolton Library and Museum Services, follow them on

Twitter @BoltonLMS or like their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BoltonLibraryandMuseumServices/.

Land & People ©Leach Studio

My thanks go out to Louise Jaggar, Operations Manager, for providing details for this post.

The Mummy at the Rivoli

noreply@blogger.com (Bev Rogers) — Fri, 06 Jan 2017 12:22:00 +0000

Image via Pinterest

Storage Treasures - Greek Stela of a 'good woman'

noreply@blogger.com (Bev Rogers) — Tue, 23 Aug 2016 09:55:00 +0000

I recently was lucky enough to be doing some work in the storage room at the Egypt Centre and came across this lovely fragment of a Greek stela.

It reads:

ARISA the daughter of AROSTOMENES a good woman who caused trouble to nobody. Farewell now. 55 years old. In the 28th year of the Emperor, on the 16th day of tner Month Pharmouthis'.

Translated by Dr Kate Bosse Griffiths

The Grave of Nanetta Stocker in Birmingham

noreply@blogger.com (Bev Rogers) — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 08:25:00 +0000

Worn with age and covered with lichen, it is difficult to read the inscription on this grave at St. Phillip's Cathedral in the centre of Birmingham. It's design is unremarkable, so that people passing it are not likely give it a second look. Yet, this memorial stands testament to a remarkable women. Nanetta (also referred to as Nanette) Stocker was in fact the smallest woman in Britain.

At only 33 inches high (two foot nine inches), Nanetta used her height to map out a living. A talented musician, she toured with fellow Austrian and musician, John Hauptmann, who was himself small in stature. Both became well known throughout Europe for their amazing talent but also as curiosities. A booklet was even produced about them at the time called The History and Travels of the Little Nanette Stocker and of John Hauptmann.

Image via Lesley-Anne Mcleod

Nanette's grave can be found to the right of the entrance of the Cathedral and the inscription reads:

In Memory of NANETTA STOCKER, who departed this life, May 4th 1819, aged 39 years. The smallest woman ever in this kingdom. Possessed with every accomplishment, only 33 inches high. A NATIVE OF AUSTRIA,

Image via Lesley-Anne Mcleod

The Leaning Tower of...Burnham On Sea!

noreply@blogger.com (Bev Rogers) — Wed, 03 Aug 2016 08:24:00 +0000

The lighthouse on legs on the beach at Burnham On Sea

If you find yourself in Somerset, as I did this weekend, I can highly recommend a visit to Burnham On Sea. Burnham was originally a small fishing village until the late 18th century, when it then grew in popularity during the Victorian period as a seaside resort and spa. Today it still retains an old-fashioned charm, where you can enjoy a huge (and very clean) beach with its own a lighthouse on legs, a long promenade, the shortest pier in Britain and plenty of history to boot.

St Andrew's Church with Sam in the forefront.

One good place to experience this history is the Medieval church of St Andrews. A church has existed on the site since the late 11th century and the building has subsequently been enhanced and replaced over the centuries. The church is notable at first glance for its leaning 78 foot tower which was built in the late 14th or early 15th century. The 3 foot difference in angle from the top to the bottom occurred almost immediately it was built and is believed to have been caused by poor foundations and settlement. During the 18th century a light was put in the tower where it acted as a guide for boats in the harbour until 1801 when a round tower was built next to the church as a replacement lighthouse. The round tower became redundant in 1832 and was replaced by the High and Low lighthouses. Six bells were placed within the tower in 1823 and a further 2 were added in 1902. I experienced the beautiful sound of these eight peals on Sunday morning!

Lion head outside the church

Walking through the huge oak door of St Andrew's (built in 1315), we received a warm welcome by the Revd. Graham Witts and the lovely guide on duty who both enthusiastically shared their knowledge of the church's history with us. Seeing we had left Sam, our dog, outside, he was promptly invited in to have a cool bowl of water...a lovely gesture on a very hot day!

There are a number of beautiful marble sculptures inside, which can be found behind the Altar, in the Nave windows and in the Baptistry. Known as the Gibbons Sculptures, these were originally commissioned by James II and once formed part of the Altar piece by Grinling Gibbons for the chapel of Whitehall Palace. Later, they were taken from the Palace to Westminster Abbey and placed behind the High Altar on the order of Queen Anne. In 1820 the sculptures were removed by the Dean and Chapter and came to Burnham on Sea at the instigation of the Bishop of Rochester, who was at that time also the vicar of Burnham. The sculptures are exquisite and St Andrew's are righty very proud of them. Photography is actively encouraged, and there are plenty of information sheets for you to take away.

Gibbons Sculptures at the back of the Altar

Angels - part of the Gibbons sculptures

There is much enjoy at St Andrew's, including the stunning 1773 brass chandelier which was happily switched on for us to take a photograph underneath. Beautiful and well maintained grounds, a wealth of history, stunning architecture and monuments and a fantastic welcome are just some of the reasons to visit this lovely church. Oh...and the leaning tower of Burnham makes a great photo too!

The beautiful brass chandelier

St Andrew's Church website

Desert View - 1920s style

noreply@blogger.com (Bev Rogers) — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 22:12:00 +0000

Image via Mooshy La La

Loving this photograph postcard from the 1920s showing two ladies enjoying the view over the Egyptian desert.

Egyptian Dance performed by Anna Pavlova & Laurent Novikoff

noreply@blogger.com (Bev Rogers) — Fri, 27 May 2016 18:29:00 +0000

Image via Pinterest

Egyptian dance performed by Anna Pavlova and Laurent Novikoff,

Photograph by E.O. Hoppé.

In the Spotlight...the President of the Egypt Exploration Society

noreply@blogger.com (Bev Rogers) — Thu, 26 May 2016 11:54:00 +0000

President of the Egypt Exploration Society, Professor Alan Lloyd

Interview with…. PROFESSOR ALAN LLOYD

Born in Wolverhampton on September 24th, 1941, Professor Alan B Lloyd attended Tredegar Grammar School from 1953 to 1960. He graduated from University College of Swansea (now Swansea University) in 1963 (Classics) and The Queen's College Oxford in 1965 (Ancient Egyptian and Coptic). He was Laycock Student of Egyptology at Worcester College Oxford from 1965-8, where he graduated with an MA, and then a DPhil (Herodotus on Egypt) in 1972.

Professor Lloyd retired from Swansea University in 2006 after 39 years of teaching and currently holds the title of Professor Emeritus in the Department of History and Classics. He was elected FSA in 1987. Currently he is President of the Egypt Exploration Society and was the first chair of the Higher Education Credit Initiative Wales.

As a member of the Saqqara Epigraphic Project, sponsored jointly by the British Museum and the EES, Professor Lloyd worked in the Teti Pyramid Cemetery during the 1970's. He is the editor of many books for the Egypt Exploration Society and Kegan Paul International and is also the author of many publications on Egyptological and Classical subjects. He is an authority on the writings of the historian Herodotus and has served as Editor of the EES Excavation Memoirs and edited the Journal of Egyptian Archaeology from 1979 to 1985.

Professor Lloyd has also participated in many television and radio programmes on Egyptological and Classical subjects. Most recently, he acted as an adviser on the Ridley Scott film Exodus.

How did you first become interested in Egyptology?
Through an illustrated Bible which my father had. This was strengthened by the first year history classes at the grammar school I attended.

If you hadn’t followed the Egyptology career path, what else do you think that you would have chosen to do?
Probably the law.

What were your best/worst subjects in school?
Latin my best. Music my worst.

What do you find most rewarding/challenging about being an Egyptologist?
The food for the imagination and the problem-solving challenges. The most challenging aspect would be keeping up-to-date.

What is the most memorable moment of your career so far?
Getting my DPhil at Oxford.

What is the most memorable class/lecture/talk you have ever had and why does it stick in your mind?
Of recent talks I’d rate highly Professor Stringer’s address at the opening of the Demon Conference (Swansea University 2016). It broke through the barriers which so often impede the study of religion.

If you had been around in the early days of the Egypt Exploration Society’s foundation, which member of the (then) Fund do you think you would have got along with best?
Francis Llewellyn Griffith.

What’s your take on the possibility that Tutankhamun’s tomb may reveal much more to it than previously thought?
Profound scepticism.

Do you collect anything yourself?
Postcards depicting places where I have lived.

If you could select one person from history to ask them a question, who would you choose and what would be the question?
Nelson. Why did he expose himself so obviously at Trafalgar?

Who would you most want to be stuck in an elevator with?
Rowan Atkinson.

How would your friends describe you in 3 words?
I have no idea. You’d better ask some of them.

What is your favourite word?
Delight

What would be a good theme song for your life?
‘It’s a lovely day tomorrow’, by Al Bowlly.

And finally….

What exciting things does 2016 hold in store for you?A cruise as guest lecturer in the Western Mediterranean.
A holiday in Crete in the summer.

My thanks to Professor Lloyd for taking the time to answer these questions.

Perfume by Ramses

noreply@blogger.com (Bev Rogers) — Thu, 12 May 2016 18:30:00 +0000

In 1916, a new perfume company called Ramses was established by M. de Bertalot. The luxury brand soon became a major exporter and opened offices in Paris and Istanbul. The Egyptian theme was also featured on their shop which had five monumental figures of pharaohs in marble on the facade. The building was destroyed in 1929 after the company closed.

Ramses' range of of perfumes were Egyptian inspired and included the following:

1917 Secret of the Sphinx
1918 Lotus Sacre
1919 Rose Antique
1920 Sidon
1920 Ioldys
1920 Ambre de Nubia
1920 Sphinx D'Or
1920 Ivresse d'Amour
1920 Chypre
1920 Origan
1920 Jasmin d'Egypte
1920 Hycsos
1920 Folie de Fleurs
1920 Folie d'Opium
1920 Douce Melodie

Below is the perfume bottle for Ambre de Nubie. The bottle is in the shape of a lion canonic jar and was made by Baccarat glass. The poster advert is from 1920, the year it was launched.

Image via Pinterest

Biography:

Vintage Rameses Perfume

Cleopatra's Boudoir

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

noreply@blogger.com (Bev Rogers) — Tue, 03 May 2016 11:49:00 +0000

Book Review

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

by Mary Roach

Penguin Books 2003

I have come rather late to reading this book; it was published way back in 2003. It was recommended to me by a friend, who knew that it would interest me as a researcher of 19^th century Egyptian mummies and the strange uses they were subjected to. She was not wrong – I found it immensely readable and couldn’t put it down. Stiff is an unlikely compelling book about what happens to our bodies when we die. For thousands of years corpses have been subjected to numerous uses, be it for safety experiments such as reducing the impact of car crashes, used as fertilizer (yes…really!), medical cures (spoiler: eating human remains was one method of “curing” illnesses), or for scientific studies to name just a few. Mary Roach’s book covers them all with a bold, curious and at times witty, journey into this largely unspoken world.

Television shows such as C.S.I., Silent Witness and Six Feet Under, give us glimpses into autopsies and funeral preparation, but there is so much more to know about the fate of bodies once the people they once were have gone. Roach covers them all, seeking interviews with people engaged in these fields, and not being afraid to ask questions that we all secretly want to ask. It is a well-researched book whose chapters cover a wide range of areas such as using human remains in surgery, testing injury tolerance, there is a discussion on the history of body snatching and information on how throughout the centuries dead bodies have been used for the advancement of medical science. There is a chapter covering the use of remains to determine the authenticity of the Turin Shroud. Human decay is also covered, as is a captivating discussion on the moral argument of when death occurs and in what part of the body the soul is seated. Roach also looks at what it means to donate your body to science and where you may eventually end up. Her marvelous footnotes add to the narrative, providing fascinating (and often funny but respectful) asides.

Roach can often be colourful with her descriptions and her style may be somewhat flippant for some readers. Also Stiff pulls no punches and those of a delicate stomach may wish to veto it on these grounds. I however found it fascinating – it made me laugh (unusually, given the subject matter!), made me angry (experiments on animals strangely enough) and gave me plenty of food for thought, especially as to how I want my own body to be disposed of. The book gives a unique approach to talking about issues that surround the subject of death and Roach really touches on what makes us human. Ultimately Stiff leads you to ponder over the human race’s often-irrational attachment to the physical self.

Mary Roach has written six books including Stiff:

Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife (2005) (published in some markets as Six Feet Over: Adventures in the Afterlife)

Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex (2008)

Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void (2010)

My Planet: Finding Humor in the Oddest Places

Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal (2013).

Afternoon Tea at the Pyramid

noreply@blogger.com (Bev Rogers) — Sat, 23 Apr 2016 09:22:00 +0000

This photograph really evokes a past elegance of travel to Egypt

View from a guest room in the late 1920s at Mena House, Egypt

Image via Mena House Hotel

At the Mummies Ball

noreply@blogger.com (Bev Rogers) — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 10:46:00 +0000

Sheet music for At The Mummies Ball (1921)
Would love to hear this played!

Photo by megaeralorenz on Flickr

8 Year Old Discovers Egyptian Amulet

noreply@blogger.com (Bev Rogers) — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 08:30:00 +0000

An amulet bearing the partial name of the Pharaoh Thutmose II of the Eighteenth Dynasty was discovered by an 8 year old girl in Jerusalem.

"A Jerusalem girl is being credited with unearthing an ancient Egyptian amulet while participating in an archaeological dig when she was just 8 years old.

City of David officials recently announced the extremely rare discovery made inside Jerusalem’s Emek Tzurim national park, after taking four years to authenticate the estimated 3,200-year-old relic.

The pendant-shaped amulet bears the partial name of Pharaoh Thutmose III of the Eighteenth Dynasty. It also has a hole at the top that would allow it to be strung, officials said in a press release.

Neshama Spielman, who is now 12 years old, said she was participating in the Temple Mount Sifting Project, a volunteer-based dig, when she found the unusual object.

“While I was sifting, I came across a piece of pottery that was different from others I had seen, and I immediately thought that maybe I had found something special,” she said in a statement. “It’s amazing to find something thousands of years old from ancient Egypt all the way here in Jerusalem!”

Read the full story here

The Pyramid and the Devil

noreply@blogger.com (Bev Rogers) — Tue, 19 Apr 2016 12:15:00 +0000

Image via Urban75blog

A visit to the graveyard adjoining St. Andrew's Church in Rodney Street, Liverpool will greet you with a big surprise...literally! A fifteen foot tall, granite pyramid towers above the regular shaped graves, dominating the vista and casting a shadow over its neighbouring sleeping residents. The monument marks the resting place of William MacKenzie, a civil engineer and railway contractor, who died in 1851. MacKenzie and his pyramid receive plenty of local attention and the grave is listed as a "must see" tourist destination in several Liverpool guidebooks.

The story of MacKenzie and his tomb has become an embroidered local legend which over the years has been quoted as a sworn truth. It is said that MacKenzie, a heavy gambler, lost a game with the Devil (in disguise as the mysterious Mr Madison) and forfeited his soul in payment of his debt. The Devil stated that he would claim MacKenzie's soul upon his burial. Another variant of the story is that MacKenzie asked the the Devil's help in order to win a game with high stakes, for which the Devil agreed in return for MacKenzie's soul.

Image via Alchetron

MacKenzie, in order to cheat the Devil from claiming his prize, left instructions that upon his death he was to be placed sitting upright in a chair at a card table holding a winning hand of cards. By not being buried, MacKenzie hoped that the devil would be unable to subject him to eternal damnation in Hell! The story has been developed over time with an addendum: tales of MacKenzie's ghost are often reported as being seen within the churchyard.

Whilst I am all for a good ghost tale, I am afraid that the story doesn't add up. Firstly, let's take a look at the inscription:

"In the vault beneath lie the remains of William MacKenzie of Newbie Dumfrishire, Esquire who died 29th October 1851 aged 57 years. Also, Mary his wife, who died 19th December 1838 aged 48 years and Sarah, his second wife who died 9th December 1867 aged 60 years. This monument was erected by his Brother Edward as a token of love and affection A.D. 1868. The memory of the just is blessed".

We learn from the above that the pyramid was erected some 17 years after MacKenzie's death, not as a direct result of MacKenzie's will. Secondly, the inscription - on a bronze plaque over the door of the tomb - states that he was interred in a vault beneath the monument, thus laying false claim that he had been buried below ground. A third point to make is that similar tales can be heard in other parts of the UK. For instance, at Saint Thomas à Becket’s churchyard in Brightling, East Sussex, a twenty-five foot pyramid is dedicated to John "Mad Jack" Fuller. Here, Fuller is said to be sat upright at a table upon which is placed a roast chicken and bottle of wine!

Despite the obvious discrepancies, the story continues to draw people to the cemetery to see the pyramid. The area is considered to be one of the most haunted places in Liverpool and the tale of MacKenzie and the Devil continues to add to its thrill.