It was a very odd feeling to look at 3,200-year-old brushstrokes on one of the painted boats. There's an strange feeling of connection when you look at something painted and see where the line wobbles slightly because their hand got tired, or because someone spoke to them, or because they lost focus for a moment, thinking about what was for dinner. The items that were flawless were completely amazing, but there's something human about those tiny errors.
Having said that, I think the item I loved most was this long-handled fan:
It doesn't look like a fan, but it has holes all around the top edge that would originally have held ostrich feathers. The scene on this side is of Tutankhamun hunting ostriches, and on the reverse is him returning home in triumph, his servants carrying the ostriches he's killed. What I love most about it is the Egyptian habit of putting legs on things. In the left corner, just about visible in this picture, is a tiny ankh, with little legs, running along behind Tut's carriage with a long-handled fan.
(Years ago, I went to Egypt. I asked about one particular hieroglyph on a pillar somewhere, a little feather with legs, and was told that the feather is an 'i' sound, and the legs mean that it's an "active" word. The little legs are on this page – D 54 and 55. The feather is H6.)
I stayed for two hours. I would have stayed for longer, but it was after work, mid-week, with a long journey home. (And they're stiffing us on the DVD price, Aurora - £25! Sucks. I got one anyway.)
Oh, and has anyone ever included shabti in a fic? I'm sure I vaguely remember having read something with them... They're little figures, put in a tomb to do the dead person's work in the afterlife.
If not, they should totally be written about. As should some Goa'uld skilled workers (scientists, like the woman in Double Jeopardy, or killers, like the Ashrak). And Jack's reaction to people who think the Air Force is soft (as in majorsamfan's recent post). And the fact that Abydos (as in the real-life place in Egypt) is associated principally with Osiris. Just putting these ideas out there, for anyone to grab...
A few last pics – the stopper of a canopic jar (the jar itself is missing, I guess – hah!), an unguent jar with Tut personified as a lion with an adorable pink tongue, and a box in the shape of a cartouche, with Tut's name on.
Pictures borrowed from allposters.com, without permission.
Having said that, I think the item I loved most was this long-handled fan:
It doesn't look like a fan, but it has holes all around the top edge that would originally have held ostrich feathers. The scene on this side is of Tutankhamun hunting ostriches, and on the reverse is him returning home in triumph, his servants carrying the ostriches he's killed. What I love most about it is the Egyptian habit of putting legs on things. In the left corner, just about visible in this picture, is a tiny ankh, with little legs, running along behind Tut's carriage with a long-handled fan.
(Years ago, I went to Egypt. I asked about one particular hieroglyph on a pillar somewhere, a little feather with legs, and was told that the feather is an 'i' sound, and the legs mean that it's an "active" word. The little legs are on this page – D 54 and 55. The feather is H6.)
I stayed for two hours. I would have stayed for longer, but it was after work, mid-week, with a long journey home. (And they're stiffing us on the DVD price, Aurora - £25! Sucks. I got one anyway.)
Oh, and has anyone ever included shabti in a fic? I'm sure I vaguely remember having read something with them... They're little figures, put in a tomb to do the dead person's work in the afterlife.
If not, they should totally be written about. As should some Goa'uld skilled workers (scientists, like the woman in Double Jeopardy, or killers, like the Ashrak). And Jack's reaction to people who think the Air Force is soft (as in majorsamfan's recent post). And the fact that Abydos (as in the real-life place in Egypt) is associated principally with Osiris. Just putting these ideas out there, for anyone to grab...
A few last pics – the stopper of a canopic jar (the jar itself is missing, I guess – hah!), an unguent jar with Tut personified as a lion with an adorable pink tongue, and a box in the shape of a cartouche, with Tut's name on.
Pictures borrowed from allposters.com, without permission.
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Comments
They have a ton of stuff at the museum and lots to see, but there was no AC except in the special exhibit for Tutankhamon. Outside temps were over 40C and it was pretty hot inside too. Still worth every sweaty drop.
I'd love to go again, because I didn't quite appreciate it when I was there. Partly because I had bad food poisoning, and partly because we were on a guided tour, which is a lousy way to see a country. Never again. Plus someone on the boat fell in love with me in a terrifying, stalkerish way, and freaked me the hell out. (I was 16 and had no idea how to cope with phonecalls in the middle of the night, crying and telling me he was going to leave all his books to me.)
But I'm telling you - Lewis Hamilton F1 Driver looks exactly like Nefertiti. It is eerie.
I was fascinated with that gold plated box that had such tiny engravings both inside and outside of it.
Oh, and that footstool that Tut had in his tomb that he really used and sat on as a child. It made them seem like "real people" to me, not just historical figures. Like they kept things for sentimentality just like we would.
And yeah, I was robbed! But I'm glad to have it. I haven't watched it yet - was too tired when I got home. I'll probably have a look at it this weekend.
Thank you for posting the pics and your thoughts. At least I can virtual visit this way.
*is distracted by icon*
...What was I saying? Oh, yeah - maybe you'll get to see it sometime - it's been around 3,200 years, so...
*is distracted again*
...Damn. What is it about that icon? Er. Anyhow. I think some of it might be stuff that's on display in places like the British museum (it's not all from Tut's tomb), so the Egyptian rooms there are a good substitute. :)
youshould write fic about them!Have to use my Hathor icon here ;)
I'm sure I've seen the shabti mentioned in fic somewhere... Wish I could remember where. They'd be excellent as little automatons, built to do the Goa'uld's bidding, or something.
As should some Goa'uld skilled workers (scientists, like the woman in Double Jeopardy, or killers, like the Ashrak).
*nods fervently* We only ever really see the Goa'uld who are busy doing the God thing. But clearly there have to be a lot of individual lower-ranking Goa'uld doing the skilled work, especially since the Jaffa seem to be kept in enforced scientific ignorance.
And that's interesting personality-wise; I mean, you can't really be all, "BOW BEFORE YOUR GOD!" when you're Minor Tech Support Goa'uld *g*.
Ooh, - I took a look, and I've not read Scotoma. Sam and Sha're! I must go read now, 'scuse me...
Holy crap, that's incredibly sweet! You're so lucky to have seen that. I was really interested in getting to more museums and such in London while I was over there, but never got back up to London (for various reasons).
You're getting to see a lot of the world at the moment! Tokyo, wow... :)
I am doing a Daniel and doing some work this summer for a Children's University based round that exhibition. I'm their main thing, trying to teach the kids about heiroglyhs. I really must get myself to the Dome to have a look, although I do have a Powerpoint presentation (Sam would love it!) on it I was given to help me do my preparation.
You asked if someone has put a Shabti in a fic - well I sort of have. I'm writing a long complicated SG1 / CSI:NY (yes I KNOW)fic and had Danny and Daniel bonding over a shabti in Dr J's office. Its based on the one in the handling collection at the Horniman Museum in south London which I had the honour of playing with a while back.