Ancient Ruins in mid-19th century

Drawings by Théodose du Moncel, ca. 1843-1845 The French Physicist and Artist Théodose du Moncel (1821-1884), known for his strong support and endorsement for the use of electricity, travelled to Greece around the middle of the nineteenth century. In an excursion called "Excursion par terre d’ Athènes à Nauplie", which he recorded many ruins of …

The Lycurgus Cup

A drinking cup made of green and red glass depicting the various scenes of the death of King Lycurgus. A silver rim with leaf ornament mounts the cup and on the bottom, silver-gilt vine leaves. Its provenance's unknown, the cup is dated to the Late Antiquity, about 290 - 325 CE. It measures 19.5cm (7.6in) …

Hercules Second Labour Mosaic Detail

Detail from a Spanish mosaic depicting Hercules’ Twelve Labours displayed in the Museu Nacional de Arqueología of Madrid (MNA). In the photo we see Hercules slaying the Hydra of Lerna, a city south of Argos in the Peloponnese.  There is no unanimity as to how many heads the Hydra had, varying from one to countless, although only …

The “Dii Consentes” Marble Disc

The so-called "Dii Consentes" is a marble disc part of an altar from the I cent. CE, that depicts the twelve gods of the Roman pantheon surrounded by a frieze with zodiacal symbols. Its name translates to "Harmonious Gods" or "Concordant Gods". Livy, in his 'Ad Urbe Condita' (XXII.10.9), matches the gods in pairs: Jupiter-Juno, …

Mummified Egyptian Cats

These mummified cats come from Roman Egypt dating to the year 30 BCE. The Egyptians were masters at the art of mummification, which was practised in humans, birds, cats, crocodiles, and more. These cats are wrapped in painted linen forming geometric patterns. To achieve more detail in the face buttons of coarse linen were applied …