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I was reminded by the return to London of the Terracotta Army, that I once went to see it, many years ago. I remember it made a big impression on me (and I'm definitely going to see it again, whilst it's here - one day, I'd love to go see the whole thing in situ). I looked up past exhibitions - and apparently they haven't been to London since 1981. I'm amazed I can remember it - I would have been three or four years old. I remember there were red and black walls, and the weather was cold, and the statues were very tall and scary. Years later, I could still remember some of the stuff I was told about how it was discovered by accident, when local farmers drilling for a well broke through into a vast, underground tomb, full of an entire army of life-size terracotta figures - every one individual. The figures are eerie and imposing, and when I was little I thought they looked like they were ready to move, any moment. If an exhibition of it ever comes around your way, I highly recommend going.
We've also got Tutankhamun's treasure coming to London soon - I plan to go see that, too. I'll be having a very Daniel-esque Autumn. *g*
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**sigh, I am such a geek**
Oh, cool - I like the shiny treasure, of course, but I am a bit of an Egyptology geek, too. Only slightly, I hasten to add - purely amateur, compared to some of the amazingly knowledgeable people I've spoken to in Stargate fandom. I've always found Egyptian history fascinating (why do I prefer Jack, then? Who knows). And I've been to the Valley of the Kings and seen Tut's tomb, so I'd like to see what should be in it, too, now. :)
Shiny treasure aside, it was the every day household objects that drew me in. The coptic jars were incredibly beautiful as well. I did get weird looks though when I yelled, "Holy Crap - Lewis Hamilton looks like Nefertiti."
F1 fans were clearly lacking there....
Hah! I shall have to look out for that. I can kind of picture it... Hee.
What I found so amazing is how much of it is wood! 3300 year old carved and painted wood, still perfectly preserved! Absolutely amazing!
My favorite thing was that gold box with the missing figurine. The detailed pictures of Tut and Nefertiti's daughter/his wife/half-sister doing various activities.
I knew the mask was too fragile to do the road tour, but I was surprised at what did come that was found ON his mummy, and notes on stuff that were used in his life (like they had sentimental value rather than just ceremonial...it brought a sense of "he's a real person, not just a historical figure" to the exhibit, IMO).
Just amazing.
**shares geekitude with you**...and jealousy that pepper's been to Egypt and SEEN the real place. :-)
Egypt was... well, for someone who grew up in a pretty old city, the history there was mind-blowing - and just lying around, all over the place. I didn't see the pyramids, though! Or Cairo. But every time I catch documentaries about The Curse Of Tutaankhamun, or whatever, I bore people by going, "Ooh, that's Luxor / the Valley of the Kings / etc., I went there!" *g*
I love that Stargate has intelligent geek fans.
Did you also catch the Planetarium show on the Stars of the Ancients (pretty sure that was the title - regardless, I giggled)? Very cool discussing how they used the stars for religion, architecture, etc. I of course couldn't help but think - and over the course of the years, the star positions have changed which was why computer needed to adjust the addresses. **Facepalm**
Long live geekitude!