Category: sean-williams - Part 9

The London Stone ‘Just Needs Some Love’

I’m so old I’ve lost my Marbles a little bit. Not unlike Greece in that respect…I can’t remember my own age. There aren’t really any records of me pre middle ages, yet you humans think I’m Roman!” Maybe the stone was punch-drunk 2,000 years back, by being beaten into shape by Trojan hero Brutus. “Brutus? Well, the chap was mythical yet I’m very much here. But I do like the legend.”When you’re talking to a famous stone, an obvious question to ask (other than ‘why am I talking to a stone?’) is what it makes of its more famous rocky brethren. The Rosetta Stone? “Very sweet.” What about the Blarney Stone? “Good for the craic. My favourite other Stone is Keith Richards.(The) Rosetta Stone is historically very important, but I’m London’s oldest monument & have a touch of mysterious glamour,” it says. And it’s got a point: there is a sort of understated beauty about the London Stone – the thinking man’s artefact, perhaps.
Word has it plans are afoot to move the London Stone across Cannon Street, to a shiny new eponymous underground station. Some may see it as a chance to show the Stone in a rosier shade, but it has other ideas: “I believe I should stay put, and would like humans to appreciate the history of my location, and what I’ve survived here.” It’s clear the Stone has a chip on its, er, shoulder about its maligned recognition, something it and HK are keen to redress. “Seriously now, anyone from London should realise I’m an important part of their heritage. I may not look much, but I AM London,” it says. And while Stonehenge is “a better looker, I just want a little bit of love” (see how much of a looker it is in Stonehenge Virtual today). So let’s get out there and give it some love, London! Yes, there are millions of pretty foreign treasures to be seen in the city, but make sure you give the London Stone some of your precious time. If you don’t, someone might move it. And if the story’s true, none of us wants to deal with that…

Mix two parts legend to one part myth, sprinkle some facts and grill for a few decades: the London Stone is London’s enigmatic emblem, tightrope-walking over a sea of mystery and romance from its ersatz home on one of the city’s busiest commercial streets.

Thought to be Roman in origin, the stone is said to have been the point from which all distances were measured in Londinium. Though attached with the apocryphal tale of Brutus of Troy, a medieval incarnation of Greek hero Aeneas, the stone became better known in the middle ages as a place for deal-brokering. It became notorious in 1450 when rebel Jack Cade struck it with his sword, proclaiming himself Lord of London and vowing to overthrowKing Henry VI. In later years the stone’s home became St Swithin’s Church off Cannon Street, a Wren beauty. Yet when the church was destroyed by a German bomb in 1940 the stone found itself trapped into a tiny grill next door, where it cuts a rather odd figure today. Word has it developers plan to make it a central sight at the forthcoming Cannon Street station, though its future very much hangs in the balance. A strange artefact, to say the least.

But what does the Stone think of us? You might think such a question is unanswerable but on Monday night a Twitter interview, or Twinterview, brought an exclusive interview with the Stone itself. And far from being rocked by qualms and queries, the Stone batted back interrogations of its past, present and future with masonic aplomb.

“My favourite other Stone is Keith Richards.”

While some questions were irreverent – ‘have you developed a shoe fetish from ground level?’ (“I like to see who has odd socks on”) – there were others that have been argued for centuries. How old is the Stone, really? “I’m so old I’ve lost my Marbles a little bit. Not unlike Greece in that respect…I can’t remember my own age. There aren’t really any records of me pre middle ages, yet you humans think I’m Roman!” Maybe the stone was punch-drunk 2,000 years back, by being beaten into shape by Trojan hero Brutus. “Brutus? Well, the chap was mythical yet I’m very much here. But I do like the legend.”

When you’re talking to a famous stone, an obvious question to ask (other than ‘why am I talking to a stone?’) is what it makes of its more famous rocky brethren. The Rosetta Stone? “Very sweet.” What about the Blarney Stone? “Good for the craic. My favourite other Stone is Keith Richards.“

Very funny – but seriously, what does it think about the Rosetta Stone bounding over here and stealing its thunder? “(The) Rosetta Stone is historically very important, but I’m London’s oldest monument & have a touch of mysterious glamour,” it says. And it’s got a point: there is a sort of understated beauty about the London Stone – the thinking man’s artefact, perhaps.

Word has it plans are afoot to move the London Stone across Cannon Street, to a shiny new eponymous underground station. Some may see it as a chance to show the Stone in a rosier shade, but it has other ideas: “I believe I should stay put, and would like humans to appreciate the history of my location, and what I’ve survived here.”

It’s clear the Stone has a chip on its, er, shoulder about its maligned recognition, something it and HK are keen to redress. “Seriously now, anyone from London should realise I’m an important part of their heritage. I may not look much, but I AM London,” it says. And while Stonehenge is “a better looker, I just want a little bit of love” (see how much of a looker it is in Stonehenge Virtual today). So let’s get out there and give it some love, London! Yes, there are millions of pretty foreign treasures to be seen in the city, but make sure you give the London Stone some of your precious time. If you don’t, someone might move it. And if the story’s true, none of us wants to deal with that…

You can participate in Ancient World in London through our contests – if you’re in London, then check out Spot Ancient London, otherwise you can join in the fun with our virtual quest or the blogger’s challenge. Take a look through our soon – with your help – to be complete directory of The Ancient World in London and suggest any that we may have missed. Just as well, do not hesitate to contact us if you have any suggestions for our webseries! Keep up-to-date with everything in the Ancient World in London by subscribing to our RSS feeds, or by following us onTwitter,YouTube,Facebook,FlickrandiTunes.Heritage Key – Unlock the Wonders.

Talk to the London Stone Live on Monday Night!

Ever thought you’d been speaking to a brick wall day? Well now’s your chance to try it out for real, as we hook up with the London Stone on Twitter on Monday for what promises to be the masonry equivalent to Frost vs Nixon. And though you can get a huge dose of the stone’s history in our inaugural Ancient World in London video, this is a web event not to be missed.

Learn all about one of London’s weirdest treasures at 7pm Monday!

As arbiters of ancient info, Heritage Key has managed to bypass the artefact’s hefty entourage for an exclusive chat. And we’ve got no intention of letting up on our subject, poised as we are to give it an even bigger grilling than the City of London did many decades ago – resulting in its relative anonymity today.

But our questions aren’t set in stone – we want you to tell us what we should ask London’s most enigmatic emblem. Maybe you want to know why the stone was ever trapped into its tiny home on Cannon Street? Or whether it minds the Rosetta Stone coming over here and stealing its thunder? Do you think its current predicament should be absolute rock bottom, or could you really not give a stone’s toss compared to the city’s other treasures?

<- Whatever you think, check into this blog at 7pm on Monday for the entire interview.

The London Stone’s damage is said to foretell London’s destruction, so we’re lucky it’s suspended civic duties guarding the city to give us an hour of its time. And the fact the entire interview will be played out on Twitter sums up the connectivity of the Ancient World in London series, running across a glut of online outposts.

So whatever your theory, qualm or query, we want to hear it. We also want you to tell us what you think we should be exploring in London – this is an interactive event after all, you can add to our already burgeoning directory. Let us know by , logging onto our contact page, or by following us on Twitter – it’s always rocking here at Heritage Key (sorry).

We’ve also got a huge number of virtual, real-world and online events happening as part of AWiL:you could blog about the greatest invaders in London’s history and bag yourself some great Thames & Hudson books; join or Valentine contest, or you might want to listen to some authentic Egyptian music, live from King Tut Virtual.

Whatever your ancient bent, we’re covering all bases!

AWiL Video Series: Visit to the London Stone

The Ancient World in London is in full swing: we’ve got events, competitions, quests, articles and interviews going up by the day, packing your lucky brains with fascinating info and exciting adventures. And hot on the heels of all this is the Ancient World in London video series, the first episode of which you can see right here, right now.

Each video will feature amazing places, strange artefacts and intriguing experts – as we take our three intrepid explorers on no fewer than 25 adventures in and around the capital. We’ll be meeting mysterious druid priests, famous historians and avid enthusiasts as they take us round places well known and long forgotten.

Our first video shows how we hand-picked our adventurers online, and how we began exploring the ancient world in London. We wanted to begin at the point most people encounter history in the capital: the British Museum. But while Jamie and Nicole’s trip was exciting, they were itching to get out and see the parts of London no-one tells you about in school. What better place to take our intrepid trio, then, than the London Stone – a seemingly uninspiring lump of limestone whose history has been entwined in the city since Roman times.

Our adventurers explored the mysterious London Stone

Trapped into a rusty grate on one of London’s busiest streets, it took a while for our adventurers to get to grips with the stone. Nicole and Natalie were unimpressed with its murky surroundings. Yet all three could see its appeal; its mystique and legend. How about comparing it to the Rosetta Stone, asked Jamie? By sunset all three were ready for their next adventure – and so were we – but it would have to wait another day.

We know how great these videos are going to be, so sit tight and get stuck into the Ancient World in London while you wait for our next big discoveries – you’ll find there’s an entire ancient world waiting to be explored…

HD Video: Episode 1:The London Stone

(Click here to read a transcript of this video)

Discovering Tut – Carnarvon Never Got to See the Golden Death Mask

When you think of King Tut, do you see a young boy, struggling with the enormity of his power; a slender adolescent in control of the world’s greatest empire? Of course not, because you’re like me: you see the magnificent death mask, the coffins, shrines, shabtis, daggers, beds, decrepit mummy(with or without penis) et al. We ancient world-lovers are just magpies with laptops really.

But do you ever wonder why, when Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon burst into the tomb in 1922, they could see so many ‘wonderful things’? Why wasn’t Tutankhamun’s funerary procession made ancient swag, like those of nearly all of ancient Egypt’s kings?

In fact even this isn’t strictly true, as Lady Carnarvon points out to us from the cellar-cum-Egyptian exhibition at Highclere Castle: “Howard Carter estimated that around 60 per cent of the jewellery which (sic) would have been in the tomb…was possibly stolen by grave diggers of ancient times.” Not a motto modern grave diggers will be thrilled about, but it does explain why the legs of the otherwise dazzling golden throne of King Tut are so bare.

“Tutankhamun wasn’t a great general, just a boy who’d married a girl.”

Yet the swathes of stunning objects in the Cairo Museum today are largely thanks to Tutankhamun’s anonymity as a leader. His grandfather Amenhotep III is widely seen as having led Egypt into her cultural and international peak. Yet Amenhotep III’s successes in life would prove his downfall in death: “Because he was a more successful, more renowned pharaoh, people knew to look for his tomb,” says Lady Carnarvon, “whereas Tutankhamun was the minor pharaoh.” Does this mean King Tut, for all his obscurity, is the most powerful pharaoh in the afterlife?

“Just a boy”

One of the tomb’s most famous treasures, the Golden Throne was mercifully one of a few artefacts Lord Carnarvon saw before his tragic death in 1923 aged just 56. And while most pieces stress the king’s authority, power and dominance, the throne (shot beautfully by Sandro Vannini) sheds light on Tut as a tender young man, gripped by the love of his wife Ankhesenamun. “He wasn’t a great general,” says Lady Carnarvon, “just a boy who’d married a girl.” The touching scene serves to highlight the throne’s ‘indescribable beauty’, points out Lady Carnarvon.

Lady Carnarvon is showing us a replica of the throne, and other items, at Highclere. Another replica on show is that of the king’s chest, a multicoloured homage to Tut’s kingship, and Egypt’s prowess over her neighbours. Tutankhamun is seen on a hunt astride a magnificent chariot drawn by plumed horses. “He’s wrapping the reins round his waist,” says Lady Carnarvon, “which looks blooming dangerous to me! Health and safety would say no.”

A Crusher of Nations

Yet there’s a grander purpose to the hunting scene than a few juicy racks of meat: both sides of the chest are decorated with Egypt’s two greatest enemies. Protected by the Sahara to the east and west, Egypt was only at risk at its northern and southern borders. However, despite the southern Nubians and the northern Hittites’ presence on the chest, Lady Carnarvon suspects Tutankhamun would not have attacked them – Egypt’s relative stability under his rule is testament to this.

Sadly the chest was to be one of the last things Lord Carnarvon saw before his untimely end. Yet Lady Carnarvon has no doubt he and Carter witnessed the glory of the boy-king together that fateful day in November 1922: “As Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter looked through the little hole they’d made, they’d have seen a glint of gold.” It was, as history confirms, so much more.

HD Video: Discovering King Tut – Carnarvon and the Artefacts

(Click here to read a transcript of this video)

Look our for our Ancient World in London series, where we’ll be exploring the great names of the Age of Discovery in Britain. You can even see us exploring the great archives of the Egypt Exploration Society in London, which feature the most famous archaeologists in history, here.

Fiona Carnarvon has written two books on the King Tut tomb raid: Carnarvon & Carter(buy here) and Egypt at Highclere: The Discovery of Tutankhamun(buy here). You can watch every instalment of our special Discovering Tut video series right here at Heritage Key:

Discovering Tut – Lord Carnarvon: The Media, The Politics and The Curse

Last week we told the first part of the story of Lord Carnarvon, one of Britain’s greatest explorers: his love of cars, planes, travel, and – most importantly – his obsessive passion for finding Tutankhamun‘s treasures. But what became of the cavalier adventurer, and why is there not a single one of his finds in Britain?

By the time Carter and Carnarvon had broken into the tomb of Tutankhaum, Carnarvon was already a frail man. His leg badly disfigured in a car accident in Germany, the aristocrat had only originally come to Egypt on his doctor’s advice, to escape the harsh British winter. “Carnarvon was very thin, very fragile,” says Fiona, 8th Countess of Carnarvon. “He had bad health problems.”

God knows what his doctor’s advice would have been, had Carnarvon mentioned he was playing the lead role in the world’s biggest discovery. As a weak man, the humdrum of the media and incessant run-ins with politicians was overpowering. “You’ve got Luxor overwhelmed,” the 8th Countess adds, “you’ve got journalists camping in the Winter Palace Hotel, all the rooms being sold out. Everyone claimed to know Lord Carnarvon. Everyone was related to him, everyone wanted to be there.

“They were both exhausted by the time the tomb was opened.”

With activity round the tomb reaching fever pitch, Carnarvon took a boat ride south to Aswan in late 1922. While sailing down the Nile, a mosquito bite he suffered became nasty, eventually turning septic. A cut-throat shave opened the wound up again, and the Lord caught a venomous bout of septicemia. Carnarvon battled through the winter, looking like he might fight off his illness. But several months later, hypothermia took hold, and Carnarvon died aged just 56. It might not have been the mummy’s curse, but Lord Carnarvon had still succumbed to the perils of Egypt.

Howard Carter was devastated by the loss of his great friend. The pair were perfect foils for each other: Carter the eager yet naive archaeologist, and Carnarvon the savvy and wealthy adventurer. “Great-grandfather was a soothing diplomatic influence of the highest level between Britain and Egypt, when there was quite a lot of nationalism,” says George Herbert, 8th Earl of Carnarvon. Carter’s affection for Carnarvon ran much deeper than a professional companionship. “Carter walked with a stick because he dressed like Carnarvon,” says the 8th Countess. “He aped many of his clothes because he respected him so much.”

“In some ways the discovery of Tutankhamun was a curse for both men.”

Carter continued to work for Carnarvon’s widow Almina until 1930, when every last artefact had been removed from the tomb. Carter’s diary is riddled with arguments, incidents and tension that never occurred when Carnarvon was about. But Carnarvon, the glue that held together the press, politicians and dignitaries, had gone. And with his death came chaos and a political tug-of-war which resulted not only in all the artefacts the pair found going straight to Cairo, but in Carnarvon’s family – in particular his daughter Evelyn, receiving no compensation for their work in the Valley of the Kings.

It was a decision that came with dire consequences for the Carnarvon estate. “He spent all his money,” says the 8th Countess. “By the time he died Bretby (Hall; in Derbyshire) had gone, Somerset estates had gone, most of the houses in London had gone, and quite a lot of the land around (Highclere) had gone. He had spent off his fortune out there.”

Carnarvon never got to see King Tut’s mummy – or even the famous Golden Death Mask, forever synonymous with his achievement. Carter and Carnarvon will forever be remembered for their incredible feat finding the world’s most beautiful ancient treasure. But it also consumed both men to the point of oblivion. “In some ways the discovery of Tutankhamun was a curse for both men,” says the 8th Countess.

HD Video: Discovering King Tut – Tut’s Tomb, House of Gold

(Click here to read a transcript of this video)

Look our for our Ancient World in London series, beginning next week, when we’ll be exploring the great names of the Age of Discovery in Britain. You can even see us exploring the great archives of the Egypt Exploration Society in London, which feature the most famous archaeologists in history, here.

Stonehenge and the Druids: Stonehenge, Bluestonehenge and River Avon

“There’s a passing on of knowledge for over 1,500 years spanning the whole Bronze Age, between our Stone Age ancestors who built Stonehenge and our Druid ancestors who wrote down folklore that we now take from Ireland, Scotland and Wales,” says Stonehenge Druid Frank Somers. “And that means that folklore has earlier origins going right back.”

We’re stood outside a stately Wiltshire manor on a blustery winter’s morning, self apparent in the unruliness of Frank’s flowing locks. Barely yards away lies Bluestonehenge, a stone circle even older than Stonehenge itself: 2009’s biggest discovery. But Frank sees it more than an archaeological curio: he feels the ancient henge could have huge implications for the Druidic faith he and thousands of other Britons hold so dear: “Potentially it connects the Druids who were talked about in Celtic times, back through the Bronze Age to the Mesolithic Period when Stonehenge was built.

“For this we shouldn’t be laughing at the Druids in connection to Stonehenge.”

Current theories suggest funerary processions began at nearby Woodhenge, travelled down the River Avon to Bluestonehenge before embarking on the long route down The Avenue, a 2-mile road linking it with Stonehenge. As a veteran of the famous Stonehenge solstice celebrations, Frank empathises with the ancient ceremonies that went on in the area.

“You can just imagine people getting excited on the eve of the summer solstice,” Frank says, “floating in their boats, disembarking here, lighting a great bonfire and sitting in their stone circle, gathering in the energies and the focus of the ancestors before processing up to the great henge.”

“We shouldn’t be laughing at the Druids in connection to Stonehenge.”

As we pull up in the car park outside Stonehenge a little later, all eyes are on us. And it’s not hard to see why: Frank’s outfit of leather maille, tabard and trademark crook couldn’t better fit the sartorial stereotype of a Druid. But it’s clear that he cares a great deal about the ritual landscape that has shaped Druidic traditions – as do a group of hardy pagan protesters, banners unfurled and in garrulous mood as they remonstrate against English Heritage’s refusal to let people move amongst the site’s massive stones.

We don’t need to pay the entrance fee: Frank is content to show us Stonehenge’s ancient landscape from a field just opposite the famous stone circle. To our right is the mysterious Cursus, a huge 2-mile earthwork whose use is still hotly debated today. A bit further round is The Avenue, before Frank points out the King Barrows – burial places for dozens of whom he calls ‘the ancestors’, the prehistoric rulers of the region. “Druidry is about becoming synchronised with nature,” Frank says, “but also with the ancestors.” No wonder, then, that Druids are outraged at the archaeological removal of human remains around Stonehenge.

No monument has ever lived such an ephemeral life as Stonehenge. As Frank points out, “It’s a meeting place. It’s a calendar. It’s a temple. It’s a living space where people come together at very significant times to do very significant things. Every time we think we know the answer, we find there’s more to the question.”

While most people nowadays look at Stonehenge as a relic of a time long forgotten, Frank feels the entire landscape is humming with the energy of its former residents. “We feel that here our ancestors are talking to us,” he says. “This is a landscape where there are dozens of these ancestors. We don’t know an awful lot about them but they’re buried all over the landscape.”

Some people might choose to mock the Druids with their pagan practices, eccentric nature and outspoken views. But it’s hard not to feel a modicum of spirituality when faced with Stonehenge, a place that’s been the centre of British worship for over 5,000 years. Time will only tell whether Frank’s linking the Druids with the creation of Britain’s best-known feature has any legs; for now he’ll have to looks on as archaeologists uncover yet more about Wiltshire’s ancient history.

HDVideo: Stonehenge and the Druids: Stonehenge and Bluestonehenge

(Click here to read the transcript)

Watch out for more videos on Druids and Stonehenge, coming soon

You don’t have to travel to Wiltshire to see the splendour of Stonehenge and its history. Check out our very own Stonehenge Virtual to see the ancient stone circle, its local landmarks, legends and characters come to life in the comfort of your own home. Heritage Key – Unlock the Wonders.

Discovering Tut – The Life of Lord Carnarvon and Lady Almina

“There is a bit of an Indiana Jones style to that portrait of my great-grandfather, and it rather sums up his character.” George Herbert, 8th Earl of Carnarvon looks up at the image of his namesake forebear admiringly. A dashing 5th Earl of Carnarvon looks playfully down the barrel of a cigarette, rogueish grin etched upon his face. No wonder he’s smiling: George Edward Stanhope Molyneux Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon is an archaeological legend – the man who alongside Howard Carter unlocked the 3,200-year-old secrets of Tutankhamun, Egypt’s boy-king.

Adventure, it seemed, was in Carnarvon’s blood. Born into immense wealth, the young aristrocrat could have carved an easy life moving between mansions, estates and the family seat at Highclere Castle. “”He loved Highclere and he loved the very comfortable, Edwardian life here,” says his great-grandson. “But he also loved travel and adventure.”

“There is a bit of an Indiana Jones style to my great-grandfather, and it rather sums up his character.”

But it wasn’t just the ancient world which fascinated Carnarvon. Well versed in aviation, he helped Geoffrey de Havilland get one of his first designs off the ground in 1909. But cars were his greatest love. A lifelong petrolhead, he pioneered racers at the turn of the 20th century, travelling the continent in search of speed. It would nearly prove his end when, in Germany, he swerved, hit a pile of rocks and smashed into the scenery. Carnarvon escaped, albeit with a seriously damaged leg: doctors urged him to eschew the cold wet winters of Britain for warmer climes.

Lord Carnarvon and his wife Lady Almina on a visit to Egypt in 1921. Egypt beckoned, but Carnarvon wasn’t happy with the high life of his peers: “A lot of people went out to Egypt as part of a social life in Cairo,” says the 8th Earl, “but that wasn’t his interest at all: he’d have been bored stiff if he was stuck just doing that.” The early 20th century was seeing some spectacular archaeological breakthoughs. The excitement of the technologies of the future were twinned with a fascination for the past.

Enthralled with Egypt’s rich history, Carnarvon set out to discover its hidden secrets. By this time he was accompanied by his wife Almina Wombwell: ostensibly the daughter of an army captain but really the illegitimate child of banking tycoon Alfred de Rothschild.

De Rothschild doted on his daughter, giving her and her husband the money they needed to conduct more and more adventurous digs. An early mission saw months of work rewarded with just one mummified cat. Unpeturbed, Carnarvon continued in his quest, with Almina constantly by his side. “She was his friend, partner and wife,” says Fiona, 8th Countess of Carnarvon, “who started with these huge amounts of money. And clearly it developed into a great relationship.”

The couple would soon make the greatest discovery in history. But for that, and the tragic events surrounding Carnarvon’s death, you’ll have to check in to the next in our special series. Look out for our forthcoming ‘Ancient World in London’ series, when we’ll be exploring the great names of the Age of Discovery in Britain. You can even see us exploring the great archives of the Egypt Exploration Society in London, which feature the most famous archaeologists in history, here.

HDVideo: Discovering King Tut – 5th Earl of Carnarvon – Adventurous Life

(Click here to read the transcript)

The Museum of Islamic Art, Doha: The Jewel in Qatar’s Crown

The Arabian peninsula has been suffering recently. Yemen has been accused of harbouring terrorists by the West, and the gargantuan Burj Tower in Dubai was unveiled last week amid a haze of economic uncertainty. Yettiny Qatar, an outcropwith a population barely toppingone million,continues to buck its diminutive stature with world-beating business and heady ambitions. And the Museum of Islamic Art in capital city Doha may just be Qatar’s most impressive structure. In this Heritage Key video, Museum Director Dr Oliver Watson shows us some of the treasures of the museum, and explains the far-reaching importance of Islamic art.

The striking museum, based on the Ahmed Ibn Tulun Mosque in Cairo, rises magnificently from Doha’s shimmering harbour. It has an Islamic art collection to rival any in the world, a fact not lost onits British director: “To have the chance to serve in a brand new museum, a brand new building of this importance and this splendour with a collection of this quality is something that very few people have the opportunity (to do) in a lifetime.”

“Qatar is able to present a piece of world-class architecture containing a world-class collection.”

Chinese-American architectural legend I.M. Pei has created an environment both fiercely modern, and yet true to its Arab ancestry. Dr Wilson shows us around the starkly-lit displays and exhibition rooms which have already made the museum a fixture on the world culture circuit. “The mission of the museum here is to show the achievements of Islamic civilisation, Islamic culture, through great works of art,” he says.

The museum, which only opened in December 2008, began when the Qatari royal family acquired a small yet impressive collection that continues to grow today. It’s a collection of”extraordinary quality,”claims Dr Watson, who shows us two of the museum’s highlights. First up is a pair of ‘Albarelli’ decorated containers. Though the design is thought to be Italian, Dr Wilson stresses theireastern origins. “These pieces are very interesting because they illustrate the global reach of Islamic culture” he says.

The second artefact is a bottle made from dark blue glass with gold and enamel decoration. Originally from Syria, it also represents the spreading west of Islamic culture in its Romanesque construction. “This represents one of the very high points in Islamic glass-making,” says Dr Watson.

As with most modern Arab institutions, the Museum of Islamic Art’s importance and collection is growing at a staggering pace. “This whole project is driven by the Emir and Sheikha Mozahwho had the original vision for this,” says Dr Watson. “(They) started the original collection, and then the choice of the architect (Pei, aged 91 at the time, was coaxed out of retirement for the project) and the setting up of the Qatar Museums Authorityhas all come from the very top.

“And it’s thanks to their vision and support for this that Qatar is able to present a piece of world-class architecture containing a world-class collection.” Saudi may suffer from its insularity and the UAE may be sinking under the weight of empty islands and mile-high towers,but Qatar’s prosperitycontinues to grow,withthe Museum of Islamic Artset to reap many more benefits in the future.

HD Video: Dr Oliver Watson on Islamic Culture and Heritage at Doha’s Art Museum, Qatar

(Read the transcript by clicking here)

Have you been to the museum? Let us know what you think, either , our contact page or by emailing me direct. You can also watch dozens of other great videos right here at Heritage Key -from the Treasures of King Tutto the Greatest Cities in History. Heritage Key – Unlock the Wonders.

Biggest Saqqara Tomb Discovered

Two large tombs have been discovered at the ancient Egyptian necropolis of Saqqara – one of which is the largest ever found at the site. The 26th Dynasty tombs, likely robbed during the Roman era, are nonetheless filled with important arefacts including coffins, skeletons, pottery and mummified eagles.

The tombs, discovered by an Egyptian archaeological mission from the Supreme Council of Antiquities, are at the Ras El Gisr area of Saqqara, near the landmark’s entrance. Both tombs are cut into the hills of the region: the larger first tomb is hewn from limestone while the other is mud-brick.

The larger tomb is comprised of a rock-hewn hallway followed by several small chambers and corridors. During excavation the team discovered two dust-filled rooms which led to another hall decked with skeletons, coffins and pots. A further corridor ran down to a seven metre-deep burial shaft. A sealed room in the second tomb contained Saite pots and coffins.

Saqqara is one of the civilisation’s oldest burial sites, having first been built just south of modern Cairo around 3100 BC during Egypt’s first dynasty. Dubbed the ‘City of the Dead’, it is home to a great number of mastabas, rock-cut tombs and pyramids. Its most famous landmark is the Step Pyramid of Djoser, Egypt’s oldest pyramid. Recent SCAprojects at the pyramid have led SCA chief Zahi Hawass to speculate that legendary architect and polymath Imhotep is buried inside.

The discovery of eagle mummies at Saqqara is sure to get famous mummy enthusiasts like Salima Ikram and Bob Brier excited. Watch a special video with Dr Ikram, explaining how animal mummies were made, here. Bob Brier has also enlightened us on how to ‘read’ a mummy – read the interview here.

Click the thumbnails above to open a slideshow of images from the newly discovered tomb.

Discovering Tut – Tutankhamun’s Tomb, The ‘House of Gold’

“In most Egyptian tombs you’ve either got the wall paintings or the coffin.” Fiona, 8th Countess of Carnarvon says, stressing the uniqueness of Tutankhamun’s tomb, the greatest discovery in history. Its treasures may be well documented, less so the incredible wall paintings that greeted Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon when they burst through in 1922 (Watch a special video on the discovery here).

Lady Carnarvon, herself a two-time author on the Tutankhamun phenomenon withCarnarvon& Carter(click here to buy) and Egypt at Highclere: The Discovery of Tutankhamun(click here to buy), seems totally engrossed in the walls she and husband George Herbert, 8th Earl of Carnarvon have replicated in the bowels of Highclere Castle. It’s clear Fiona has studied them for quite some time: and she effortlessly reels off the meanings behind their myriad symbols.

“(Egyptians’) lives here on Earth was transient, their houses were built of mud not brick,” Lady Carnarvon says. “Their tombs were made of stone, that’s why we still have records.” Gold was used as the main colour because of its immutability, representing eternity.

“We write in a linear fashion. The Egyptians wrote to fill up a space.”

At one point Anubis, “the Jackal guarding (Tut’s) treasury in the innermost room,” greets Tutankhamun on his way to the afterlife. “Anubis is behind (Tut) and I think it’s lovely,” says Lady Carnarvon. “It’s a protecting gesture on Tutankhamun’s shoulder saying, ‘Hey, you’re gonna come up with me to the next world.'” It seems sad that nearly all the treasures Anubis protected so well for over three thousand years have now disappeared 300 miles away to Cairo.

Black borders lining each wall represent the heavens to which Tut would hopefully ascend. His cartouche, a French term for the king’s name, labels him ‘Nebkheperura’: ‘Neb’ means Lord; ‘Kheperu’ signifies rebirth via the scarab, and Ra is the sun god which almost every Egyptian king had in his name.

The stunning tomb walls of KV62 feature 12 baboons - one to represent each hour. Image Copyright - Sandro Vannini. The beautiful walls’ many scenes show Tutankhamun at various stages of his quest towards resurrection. At one point he meets Nut, the goddess of the night – from whom we get our modern word for night. On the western wall are the twelve baboons, representing Thoth, god of wisdom. King Tut had to pass all twelve in a day if he could move on to the afterlife.

It’s a fascinating tour of one of the world’s truly great ancient landmarks, and one you can carry on yourself at any time with Heritage Key’s King Tut Virtual. You can also read about the tomb walls of KV62 in more detail here on Heritage Key and seeing a slideshow of beautiful images taken inside the tomb by Sandro Vannini. Also make sure you’re up to date on the latest news from KV62, concerning “brown spots” found on the tomb walls. It may have been reduced to a largely empty room over the last century, but there’s no doubting its immense beauty – worlds away from the schematic world we live in today. “Computer programs are linear, zero-one-zero-one,” says Lady Carnarvon, “we write in a linear fashion. The Egyptians wrote to fill up a space.” What a space it is.

HD Video: Discovering King Tut – Tut’s Tomb, House of Gold

(Click here to read a transcript of this video)

Look out for three more special Highclere videos, coming soon!You can watch a whole host of great videos here at Heritage Key – from the perils of Venice to the lost tombs of Thebes. Catch us here or on YouTube. Keep up-to-date with everything by subscribing to our RSS feeds, or by following us on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Flickr and iTunes.

You can also buy Fiona Carnarvon’s books right here:
Buy Carnarvon % CarterHERE
Buy Egypt at Highclere: The Discovery of Tutankhamun HERE