The Bronze Age in Britain is agreed to have taken place from around 2500 to 800 BC. Archaeologically, it was characterised by the use of copper, and eventually bronze. Copper was used more frequently in the earlier stages of the Bronze Age, but by around 2150 BC the prehistoric Britons had discovered how to make … Read more
Byzantine art was largely defined by its Christian character. A lot of its earlier artistic tradition was centred around icons and religious symbols. Byzantine artists used gold liberally – largely on account of its availability in the area and the immense wealth accumulated by the Byzantine Empire. This combination of religious imagery and a disposition … Read more
Greek pottery is one of our main points of contact with the ancient world. Greek pots remain in abundance, beginning with those dating to the Minoan era (from around or even before 3000 BC) up until the end of the Hellenistic period (31 BC). As we might expect, they come in a variety of shapes … Read more
Luristan bronze comes from the province of Lorestan, a region of the Near East. In the ancient world it was settled by a number of peoples, such as the Medes, the Kassites, and eventually the Persians. In 2017, archaeological evidence for Achaemenid contact with the area came to light for the first time. Defining a … Read more
Across the ancient world, we find a number of pieces that would have been worn by their owners for the sake of protection – primarily amulets. Jewellery of this apotropaic nature most often takes shape in the form of pendants, and we find them in abundance from a number of civilisations, especially Egypt and Ancient … Read more
Scythians, a nomadic civilisation Despite being a nomadic civilisation, the Scythians proved immensely helpful in the preservation of their own culture for posterity in that they understood the conservational capacity of ice. They went to great lengths to preserve their dead, mummifying them and then burying them in mountainous regions across Eurasia – Kazakhstan, Mongolia, … Read more
What was a symposium? The symposium was an essential part of male civic life in Ancient Greece. It was an event akin to a dinner party, where men would gather to discuss matters (with a particular focus on the philosophical), to enjoy music, dancing and female company, and, crucially, to drink. It was a key … Read more
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