This Site Moving to WordPress. Hope You'll Join US There!

Hello:

You'll notice that we've not posted anything here for a few months now and with good reason. We have found blogger.com to be ineffective and very limited in its readership. By contrast, the identical blog we've had going all along at wordpress.com has a very high readership level, resulting in interesting exchanges with all sorts of bloggers, casual readers and serious students of antiquities.

So, if you've been following us here please visit us from now on at: http://clioantiquities.wordpress.com/

We will keep this site open for another 90 days before shutting it down.

Thank you and best wishes,

The Clio Ancient Art and Antiquities Team
http://www.clioancientart.com/

The Roman Lighthouse at Dover: An Unlikely Survivor from Antiquity

Located on the grounds of Dover Castle in Kent, England, is a well preserved Roman lighthouse constructed from the orange-red tiles found throughout the Roman world, and from local flint and other stones. The original structure seems to have been erected about 50 AD with major reconstruction around130 AD, and was perfectly situated atop the high chalk cliffs of this area to help guide maritime traffic moving through the Channel between the ports of southeast Britain and what is now France, Belgium and the Netherlands. It was originally one of a pair, the other lighthouse having been situated on the cliffs about one thousand meters to the southwest. That structure did not survive the centuries and its foundation is now buried beneath 18th Century fortifications.

The lighthouse’s function is known with certainty due to its very close resemblance to other surviving lighthouses in Egypt and Spain and excavated examples in Italy, as well ancient depictions of the famous Pharos lighthouse at Alexandria, Egypt. In its original form it would have been square inside and octagonal outside, with four levels. It stands about 75 feet tall today, with the top 19 feet being Medieval reconstruction. It owes its survival mainly to having been used as a church tower in the Middle Ages and a variety of other uses over the centuries. Adjacent to it is the church of St Mary in Castro, the original fabric of which was partly constructed of material recycled from the lighthouse and other nearby Roman remains by the Saxons around 600 AD. Roman tile and worked flint are clearly visible throughout the structure. The Saxon church is a significant monument in itself, though it has seen much rebuilding. It is still in use today.

Trains from London to Dover take between one and two hours, depending on time of day. The lighthouse can be accessed today with an admission ticket to Dover Castle. The site is managed by English Heritage. Dover Museum offers excellent exhibits covering the Roman and Saxon periods and these strongly complement a visit to the lighthouse and church. Views from this location are spectacular, with the French coast visible on a clear day, the harbor of Dover directly below and the expanse of the Channel and the Dover cliffs stretching off for miles.

Links:
English Heritage page for Dover Castle – http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/dover-castle/
Dover Museum – http://www.dovermuseum.co.uk/Home.aspx

 

Dover Roman Lighthouse. To the right is the Saxon period Church of St Mary in Castro. Note the use of Roman building material in the church’s fabric. In the distance at left is Dover Castle.

A close up view of Dover Roman lighthouse. The figure standing at bottom right between the lighthouse and church offers a sense of scale. Note the layers of Roman tile alternating with worked flint and stone.

View from inside the lighthouse, showing clearly the square interior plan and four levels.

Exterior detail, showing the use of Roman tile in the window arches.

Analysis Suggests "Jesus Wife" Papyrus is Not a Fake

http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=9226237&fulltextType=RA&fileId=S0017816014000133

Latest News on the Staffordshire Hoard

http://www.staffordshirehoard.org.uk/news/pioneering-research-shows-ancient-hoard-as-true-archaeological-mirror-to-early-epic-poem-beowulf

Canaanite Coffine with Gold Pharonic Ring Found

http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/04/2014/rare-wealthy-canaanite-coffin-found

Byzantine Monastic Complex and Mosaics Unearthed in Negev

http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/04/2014/monastic-mosaics-unearthed-in-the-negev

Egyptian Antiquities in the Petrie Museum of Egyptology, London

Established in 1892 primarily as a teaching tool for the new Department of Egyptology, University College’s Petrie Museum of Egyptology is tucked away in a rather obscure location off Gower Street. Were it not for a few colorful banners pointing the way, it would be difficult to find. Visiting hours are quite limited. Started with the donation of a few private collections, the Petrie’s holding grew enormously in the first few decades of the 20th Century through the prolific excavation work in Egypt of Sir William Flinders Petrie. Removed from London during the Second World War for safekeeping, the collections were returned in the 1950s and housed in a former stables building, where they remain today.

The Petrie’s collections are particularly rich in Pre-Dynastic and Early Dynastic materials, especially pottery, as well as textiles and costumes, glass and faience, papyri and inscribed architectural fragments, many with string colors remaining. Unusually, much of the material has clear provenance, having been obtained through controlled excavations with find spots recorded. Also rather unusual is the fact that the Museum’s collections cover not just Dynastic Egypt but also Roman, Byzantine / Coptic and early Islamic materials.

The immediate impression one receives upon getting clear of the small admissions area and entering the Museum itself is of the stereotypical “old fashioned” dark and dusty late 19th or early 20th Century museum experience. There is nothing nostalgic about this. The fact that the Museum is housed in what was once a stables now makes its impact. The spaces are very tight. There is very little room around most of the old fashioned, academic display cases for more than one or two visitors to look at the contents. The lighting is dim (though in some instances this is to help preserve light sensitive materials), making it difficult to enjoy even the most impressive pieces. Objects are stuffed together tightly in small cases, accompanied by descriptive labels that might be less than informative to a visitor with no background in Egyptology. In most instances, obtaining good photographs is nearly impossible due to the lighting conditions and highly reflective glass of the old cases. The overall impression left is one of frustration at not being able to adequately enjoy the many wonderful pieces on display, and of puzzlement as to why such an extraordinary collection has been relegated to such an inadequate space.

Having said all this, the Petrie is still very much worth a visit for anyone with more than a passing interest in ancient Egypt and the ancient Mediterranean world in general. The images below are intended to provide only a modest sample of what awaits the visitor. Enjoy!

Ancient glass from Egypt, dating from early Roman through Byzantine & early Islamic

Display of pre-dynastic and early dynastic pottery

Egyptian and Phoenician glass inlays and small objects, mainly Late Dynastic and Ptolemaic

Coptic period St Menas Flasks and pottery

Inscription from Pyramid of Pepi II, Saqarra, circa 2250 BC

Late Dynastic shabtis of exceptional quality

Painted wood funerary stele showing the deceased adoring Horus. Dynasty XXII or later.

Painted Wooden Stela of Neskhons, Queen of Pharaoh Pinezem II, Dynasty XXI. The deceased Queen adores Osiris whose green skin suggests regeneration and rebirth.

Middle Kingdom polychromed fragmentary funerary stela.

Everyone should read this! Museum staff, not antiquities dealers, arrested for theft of artifacts!

Everyone should read this! Museum staff, not antiquities dealers, arrested for theft of artifacts! - http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/museums/macedonian-police-arrest-8-for-big-museum-theft/2014/02/27/c8a13ebe-9fdc-11e3-878c-65222df220eb_story.html

Viking Exhibition Opens at The British Museum

http://www.historyextra.com/news/longest-known-viking-ship-Roskilde-6-goes-display-exhibition-british-museum

Italian government releases funds for Pompeii amid new damage to site

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26443808

The Italian government - or more correctly, successive Italian governments - should be absolutely ashamed of themselves. When will they step up and do their own fair share, particularly in light of the amount of revenue cultural tourism generates in Italy annually? For so many years now the EU and mainly American and British philanthropic institutions have done all the heavy lifting.

For our friends and followers in our old home town of San Francisco and beyond...

http://www.ancientartcouncil.org/program/03-22-14

Babylon 1947

This faded, tattered old picture is something more personal than our usual offerings here at Clio Ancient Art: A 1947 photo of my extended family, on my mother’s side, on a day trip to visit the ruins of Babylon. They are gathered around, and on, the guardian lion at the Ishtar Gate, carved from basalt and dating to the 6th Century BC.

Is it any wonder I pursued archaeology in academia and later became an antiquities dealer?

Much has changed in the world of archaeology, and in the legitimate antiquities trade, since this image was taken. The very scene where this was taken has undergone dramatic changes, none of them for the better, and not one person in this image is still alive. But whatever tumult this lion of Babylon has seen in the last few decades is certainly no worse than what had come before.

Perhaps this stone lion is a reminder to us of the valuable lessons history has to offer, and the beautiful handiwork of human creativity, if we are prepared to stop and examine the past without sectarian, nationalist, ethnic or religious prejudice.

Scholars Discover New Poems from Ancient Greek Poetess Sappho

Link to this story - http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/01/28/scholars-discover-new-poems-from-ancient-greek-poetess-sappho.html

Collecting Ancient Coptic / Byzantine Textiles

The colorful textile above is a fragment from a Coptic Egyptian ecclesiastical garment depicting saints and biblical figures and dating to the 7th Century AD, now in The British Museum. Thanks to exceptionally dry conditions, many types of artifacts made from perishable materials that would not survive elsewhere are common finds on Egyptian archaeological sites. Between the late 18th and early 20th Century great numbers of ancient Egyptian textile fragments from all periods were retrieved by local Egyptian treasure hunters and artifacts dealers for sale to foreign visitors, by foreigners conducting their own ad-hoc “excavations” and by archaeologists, often excavating using methods that would by today’s standards be considered little more than treasure hunting.

While textiles of all types, from the most humble garments to the most elaborate, and from every period of Egypt’s long history have been preserved in the dry environment, Coptic textiles are a class unto themselves. In common parlance, use of the term “Coptic” here refers both to the time period from which these textiles date – corresponding to the roughly 300 year period of Byzantine rule in Egypt – and the Christian culture that created them, as the Coptic Church, still very much alive today in Egypt, gives its name to both the ancient and modern Coptic culture. This uniquely Coptic textile style continued on in Egypt long after the Islamic conquest of the 7th Century AD.

Many Coptic textile fragments, and in some cases entire garments, have since found their way into museum collections. This has somewhat reduced the number of high quality examples available on the legitimate art market. But many fine examples can be acquired from the major London and New York auction houses and reputable antiquities dealers in Europe and the North America.

Our own website offers a small but quality selection of Coptic textiles:

http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i284.html

The example above is a large 5th-7th Century fragment featuring human, animal and geometric decorations. It has been sewn on a linen backing for mounting and custom framed. A brief description in modern Arabic from a late 19th – early 20th Century Cairo dealer enhances its value.

http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i285.html

This 5th – 7th Century example, from the same old collection, is also framed and features complex foliate and geometric patterns.

http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i176.html

Finally, this 4th – 7th Century example features a broad band of highly abstracted animal forms, including fish, birds and rabbits, with lovely deep red borders.

Some of the finest examples of Coptic weaving, which was generally made in linen and wool, were reserved for ecclesiastical garments. The 5th – 7th Century fragment pictured below, now in The British Museum, depicts a cross and bird; the bird may have been part of an allegory of the seasons, thus combining ancient pagan and the newer Christian iconography.


 
There are excellent print and online resources for the student or collector of ancient Coptic textiles.  The Coptic Tapestry Albums & The Archaeologist of Antinoe, Albert Gayet  by Nancy Arthur Hoskins, is a very accessible, lavishly color illustrated guide to the collection amassed by the controversial French psuedo-archaeologist Albert Gayet in the late 19th Century. It describes Coptic textile production techniques as well as offering insight into how collections of these objects were built in the 19th and early 20th Centuries. Two online resources that we recommend are the Rietz Collection of Coptic textiles in the California Academy of Sciences – http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/anthropology/coptic/Collection.htm – and the Indiana University Museum’s small but excellent online collections – http://www.iub.edu/~iuam/online_modules/coptic/cophome.html.

CONSULTING SERVICES: AUTHENTICATING AND IDENTIFYING ANTIQUITIES

 

Education, authentication and identification are the key elements in building a collection of ancient art. We at Clio Ancient Art are often contacted by private owners, art museums and estate executors wishing to identify objects and learn if the they are genuine ancient artifacts, reproductions, fakes, forgeries, or tourist trinkets. As a service to antiquities collectors, owners and the museum community, Clio Ancient Art provides authentication and identification services. Click here to learn more about this service: http://www.clioancientart.com/id23.html.

Educating oneself is the key to avoiding disappointment upon learning that an “antiquity” one may have purchased is not ancient or genuine, as well as avoiding ethical or legal complications associated with ownership of an antiquity with questionable provenance. Our own links page — http://www.clioancientart.com/id15.html — is a good starting point in building a knowledge base about antiquities and ancient art.

New Items, A Sale and Much More for January

http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i516.html

 Hello Clio Customers, Friends and Fans,

Thank you for helping make 2013 another successful year for Clio Ancient Art and the Trust for Ancient Art. I hope 2014 proves to be a happy, peaceful and prosperous New Year for you.

I'd like to start off by sharing a few new offerings on our website:

* A 3rd Century Roman mold-blown glass jar - http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i516.html

* A 1st-2nd Century Roman glass bottle - http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i518.html

* A Roman Bronze Claw Foot - http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i517.html

We're having a SALE, ending January 20, on the following specific categories of items --

* Cypriot Antiquities Section: http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c1_p1.html 15% OFF

* Byzantine, European, Medieval and Islamic Antiquities Section: http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c26_p1.html AND http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c21_p1.html 15% OFF

Please note coins are not included in this sale.

Clio added many very affordable antiquities and ancient coins leading up to the holidays and despite the holiday sales rush many are still available. Didn't get what you really wanted for Christmas? Treat yourself to something from the website; prices range from $25 to $2,500 - http://www.clioancientart.com/.

Now for a very important invitation: Clio has a simple ONLINE SURVEY WAITING FOR YOU. It's just 9 questions, anonymous, mostly point and click, and only takes 2 or 3 minutes to complete. To help Clio better serve you, please click here to participate in our survey -- http://fluidsurveys.com/surveys/chris-CB3/clio-2014-new-year-survey/

Clio received some positive press in the Wilmington, NC Business Journal recently. A copy of that article is attached. Here a link to the article - http://www.wilmingtonbiz.com/retail/2014/01/03/clio_debuts_in_wilmington/11225

Our Trust for Ancient Art ended the year by facilitating transfer of a fine collection of Roman glass from a donor in Atlanta to the Mint Museum of Art in Charlotte, NC. Here's an article from our Wordpress Blog about this - http://clioantiquities.wordpress.com/2013/12/26/clios-trust-for-ancient-art-facilitates-gift-of-ancient-glass-to-mint-museum-of-art/

As always, thanks for viewing our website.

Best wishes,

Chris M. Maupin
Clio Ancient Art and Antiquities
Chris Maupin Trust for Ancient Art
PO Box 7714
Wilmington, NC 28406
Phone: 704-293-3411
Web: http://www.clioancientart.com/

Roman Bronze Brooches Revisited: Zoomorphic Types

 

In a blog post dated August 20 of last year we reviewed some examples of Roman bronze fibulae (brooches), a ubiquitous find both in controlled excavations and by metal detectorists. In this post we’d like to elaborate on the topic, focusing on zoomorphic brooch types.

The example pictured above, a horse brooch dating to the 1st to 3rd Centuries AD, while not unknown, is a very uncommon type. It has been modeled in the round rather than as a flat plate with pin on the reverse. For more details, it may be viewed here: http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i475.html

 Far more typical of Roman brooches depicting mammals is the example above of a so-called “horse and rider” brooch. As is frequently the case, the schematically rendered rider has broken away but the Celtic style horse is well defined and shows a strong sense of movement. This type, dating to the 3rd or 4th Century, may have been closely associated with the Roman army. The bronze has been tinned to resemble silver. For more details on this example, go here: http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i474.html

In addition to mammals (rabbits or hares, dogs, horses, etc.), birds were a popular source of inspiration for Roman craftsmen involved in making brooches. The superb example above, depicting a duck in resting posture with wings folded back, illustrates the use of enamel decoration on Roman brooches. In this case, the wings have a piriform cell containing blue enamel surrounded by red with another stretch of blue enamel around that. In addition, the animal itself is depicted in a highly naturalistic way; even the duck’s eye has been indicated with a tiny point of incision. For more on this example, go here: http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i489.html

An uncommon type of bird brooch, dating to the 2nd or 3rd Century AD, is illustrated above. This example appears to depict a dove or small water bird. Unusually for zoomorphic brooches, it’s original pin and coil are intact. Unlike many zoomorphic types that were also popular on the European continent, this specific type appears to be unique to Roman Britain. More about this example here: http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i476.html

For many more examples of brooches, mainly Roman, of many different types, visit the “Ancient Jewelry and Personal Adornment” section of our website at: http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c19_p1.html

All the brooches presented above are individual UK metal detector finds, declared not treasure and legally exported.

For further study, we recommend the following sources:

Roman Brooches in Britain, a Technological and Typological Study Based on the Richborough Collection, The Society of Antiquaries of London, 2004

AND

A Visual Catalogue of Richard Hattat’s Ancient Brooches, Oxbow Books, Oxford, 2007

It's Always Nice to Get Positive Press Coverage...

http://www.wilmingtonbiz.com/retail/2014/01/03/clio_debuts_in_wilmington/11225

Amateur speleologists in Rome are mapping the city's network of 11 ancient aqueducts for the first time in modern history.

http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-roman-aqueducts-20140101,0,2669673.story#axzz2pLPIhQw5

Trust for Ancient Art Facilitates Gift of Ancient Glass to Mint Museum of Art

We are pleased to announce that our Trust for Ancient Art has rounded out the year by facilitating the donation of a collection of ancient Roman glass from an anonymous Atlanta collector, acquired many years ago in Israel, to the Mint Museum of Art in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Mint had previously benefited from the Trust’s donation of a superb Medieval English encaustic glazed floor tile. A few images of the Roman glass vessels now at the Mint Museum are included here.