The British had the first global Empire, immense power and wealth, and keen interest in the history and cultures of the world.

They virtually invented archeology,  poking into and recording information, and studying historical and unfamiliar cultural sites around the world. And they carried off all of the best of the best objects to the British Museum in London.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whole walls of carvings from ancient cities. Room after room each describing with their objects an ancient civilization.

An overwhelming display of objects from ancient Egypt.

On and on. Prehistory. The history of Europe, Greece, Rome .. The Vikings, the Saxons .. Japan, China, India, Africa, even little New Zealand.

 

You get the idea. Except to add a mention of ever changing special exhibitions .. the development of writing ..  ceramics .. the Scythians ..

Plenty of gold, of course.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the greatest objects known. To name a few..

The Rosetta stone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The swimming reindeer (from 11,000 BC). On loan. Sorry.

 

The Standard of Ur.    2500 BC

 

 

 

 

 

The Reliquary holding a thorn from the crown of Christ.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The mechanical galleon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Too much under one roof for a morning visit. But don’t come to London without a stop here.

I even had a chance to research for an upcoming trip to Sicily.