This handsome chap was dug up in the middle of town during reconstruction works some years ago. At first it was thought to be just a bit of Bronze but cleaning revealed a horse and rider. It is likely our cavalryman held a spear in his right hand and possibly represents some God or other. They say it is unusual in that usually cavalrymen were dressed in armour, this man appears naked. Soldier or God I wonder. It sits in one of the museums renovated cases alongside a small child and a head.
I am not clear as to what these represent but I am not likely to want that head sitting on my mantelpiece any time soon. I am fascinated by the items that have been found in the ground from days of long ago. These will be Roman (ish) as they say Celts did not have figurines of any type before the Roman invasion. Plenty of convoluted patters but no figures it appears. This fact had not struck me and reminded me of how little I know.
Sadly I did not take the time to ensure the image was clear. It was not easy in that light to picture the items through the glass, as you can see! Also I have enlarged the picture so that does not help. What thinkest thou of this lass? I had no intention of going to the Museum this morning but when the phone rang at five minutes past nine I knew who was on the other end! To me the position of 'dogsbody,' on call as it were to fill gaps, is better than a regular spot at the moment. It does mean that my day is altered if the phone rings! It was enjoyable today however, and these figures fascinated me when I saw them again. Consider the folks who lost them, their homes, around 2000 years ago, their society and position within it. The homes, few rreaching into the sky like ours do today. The difficulty of getting water daily, the constant milling of grain and the smell of bread baking daily, the view over open fields and the sky always above us, not hidden behind vapour trails. The silence, no music bar that made by individuals, not deep base thumping from passing cars. Animals running loose, walking everywhere unless very rich, the day filled with tasks technology makes easy for us.
I wonder if we or they are more stressed by our lives?
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13 comments:
It always makes me think of how much we are all alike, when I see figures like this from long ago. Even though it was so hard to survive, they still enjoyed artistic expression and beauty. I like to think so anyway.
Kay, we are indeed all alike.
How do you tell if they are really old? Because they are in a museum? The mask looks like something Soubriquet might make. That is my favorite piece though, so it better be old. :)
Not a mask. Head.
I'm endlessly fascinated with the bits of clay and bronze we find beneath the earth. I wonder often what will people 2000 years from now wonder about me? my world? do I even own an item that could survive 2000 years buried and compressed ?? And sadly, history here is a mere toddler compared to your history. I remember a photo Soub took of me sitting on the base of a roman pillar outside the York Minster. I insisted it was too old for me to be sitting upon! Here in America we rope off chairs and benches and rooms and steps far far much younger in order to 'preserve their history' ... hmmmm ... I looked quite anxious !
xxx
Max, The experts date these things in many ways, the resemblance to others already dated is one. The mask is indeed reminiscent of Soub, in one way or another....
Max, Head indeed, but no body.
RDG, You sitting on a Roman pillar would have looked fantastic!
And I think too of the person actually making those things. When they had finished, they put them down and thought, Hm, I did a good job there. Or, maybe, Oh, dear hope nobody notices that head doesn't have quite the expression I'd hoped for. Or, DAMN! forgot to put hi, in trousers again, it's these Greek athletes going around naked have quite confused me...
Jenny, Yes I wonder what he thought of him. Did he see him as a god or just a way to make cash.
Done! You have your photo :-)
xxx
Nicaragua was inhabited by the Paleo Indians as far back as 600l years. They were not alone in America. They did not live without making things. Where was Rome and its columns 6000 years ago? This history of the Americas is very much as old as the history of England. Just because a few white men from Europe have only been here for 500 years to tell the tales of their wars and exploits doesn't mean that is when history started here.
Just saying. Just reminding. Not making trouble.
So instead of having the body of a Greek god with a rock solid six-pack for abs, I have the body of a pagan god in ancient Briton with a couple of fat rolls of my own?
@Max: Paleo Indians in Nicaragua? Is THAT the best you could come up with, Max?
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Max, Of course you are right. The Scots inhabited the Americas thousands of years ago to bring civilisation , they clearly failed. :)
Jerry, A good self description I would say.
RDG, You tell him girl!
I've just seen the photo. Wrooowwww!!!
That picture of that young 20 something is up on my wall now. Don't tell Soub!
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