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These fragments formed part of a bowl blown from colourless glass. They were found in a grave at St Severin in Cologne, Germany. The bowl was originally a presentation or festival day gift which was later re-used as a grave offering. Three concentric circles of figural medallions in gold-leaf decorate the bowl, with smaller rosette medallions placed between them. The medallions have been covered with blobs of bluish-green and blue glass. The subject matter derives primarily from the Old Testamen
An article about Halaf culture
This axe was found in one of the Royal Graves of Ur where no tomb chamber survived. Scattered on the floor of the pit were two copper axes and a gold one decorated in a similar fashion. Such weapons have often been associated with the soldiers 'guarding' the slope leading to the bottom of the pit. Whether this axe belonged to such a guardian is unknown, because of the poor state of the grave's preservation. Axes of this shape are also found in later graves. It seems to have been the regular wea
An article about Sippar (Iraq)
The royal chapel at the Palace of Westminster was dedicated to St Stephen. It was built on two levels: members of the royal household and court were admitted to the lower level, while the upper chapel was reserved for the royal family and clergy. Most of the upper chapel was completed during the reign of Edward III (1327-77). It was richly decorated to a very high standard, as these surviving fragments of wall paintings show. They depict scenes from the biblical Books of Job and Tobit, with expl
The rock crystal is engraved with scenes of the story of Susanna as recorded in the Apocrypha. Each scene is accompanied by an inscription drawn from the Vulgate (the Latin translation of the Bible made by St Jerome). In the first four scenes Susanna is shown accosted by the elders, falsely accused and convicted of adultery. The last scenes show the elders being questioned by Daniel, condemned for false witness and executed. The final scene shows Susanna declared innocent. The figures are execut
Press release from the British Museum about an important breakthrough in Biblical Archaeology
British Museum online tour: the Queen of Sheba