Tuesday, November 23, 2010

British Museum, colectiile egipteana si asiriana / British Museum - Egyptian and Assyrian Collections

During my last two trips to London, on September 2008 and May 2009, I visited parts of British Museum. This is the oldest public museum in the world. The first construction, owed to Sir Robert Smirke, goes back to 1823. The last construction was inaugurated in 2000 and it is the largest covered public space in Europe. It is The Great Court of Queen Elisabeth II. Today I'll show you some of the photos taken at Egyptian and Assiyrian collections. I couldn't stop myself to think how nice would it be to be a student in London and the professor should take you to this museum for a history lesson!

In ultimele doua excursii la Londra, in septembrie 2008 si mai 2009, am fost de ambele dati la British Museum, vizitand cate o parte a sa. Un asemenea muzeu imens, care adaposteste atatea comori ale omenirii necesita mult timp pentru a fi epuizat.

Muzeul se afla intr-o zona centrala a Londrei si se ajunge usor acolo cu metroul, statia Tottenham. Vizitele se pot face zilnic, intre 10-17.30  Intrarea este gratuita.

British Museum a fost infiintat in1753, fiind cel mai vechi muzeu public din lume. Conform ghidului Dorling Kindersley "Imensul volum de valori ale muzeului acopera doua milioane de ani din istoria si civilizatia omenirii. Exista 94 de galerii, insumand 4 km, care acopera civilizatii din Egiptul si Asiria antica, pana in Japonia zilelor noastre."

Constructia cladirii in stil clasic grecesc s-a facut in 1823, sub conducerea lui Sir Robert Smirke. In 1857 s-a adaugat o cladire circulara, ca sala de lectura si dupa alti 30 de ani, asa-numita Aripa alba (arh. John Taylor).
 Au urmat si alte adaugiri care au culminat cu construirea, incepand cu 1994 si apoi inaugurarea in 2000, a Marii Curti a Elisabethei a II-a (arh. Foster&Partners). Avand 8000 de metri patrati, acesta este cel mai mare spatiu public acoperit din Europa.
Azi va voi arata fotografii facute cu ocazia vizionarii colectiilor antice din Egipt si Asiria. Se poate observa cu usurinta diferenta de conceptie artistica: in timp ce toate operele egiptene au un pronuntat aspect static, de incremenire, cele asiriene sunt dinamice, pline de viata. La parterul muzeului, in aceasta sectiune sunt o multime de exponate si ma gandeam ce bine e sa fii elev la Londra si sa te aduca profesorul la o lectie de istorie antica, chiar in muzeu...

Egiptul antic
 Ramses al II-lea
 Roseta, folosita de Champollion pentru descifrarea scrierii hieroglifice
 mumie egipteana
 scriere hieroglifica

Assiria si Mesopotamia

 zeul Nimurta, din Nimrud
 taurul inaripat din palatul lui Sargon II
scriere cuneiforma

18 comments:

LifeRamblings said...

this is truly fascinating. such a lovely museum with an interesting history. great photos. Thank you.

J_on_tour said...

I am ashamed to say that I have been to London on numerous occasions and I have never been in the building. Next time.....

VertAnge said...

Cred ca British Museum e primul loc in care ma voi opri cand ajung la Londra. :)

Traveling Hawk said...

Life Ramblings, it is one of the most important museum in the world :)

Traveling Hawk said...

J_on_tour, you still have time :)

Traveling Hawk said...

VertAnge, nu trebuie sa fie neaparat primul dar merita o vizita acolo, oricand.

marianaesincai said...

Foarte frumos! Mi-am petrecut multe ore in acest muzeu si este o minunatie! se pare ca anumite piese din colectie au fost sau vor fi inapoiate Egiptului. Cred insa ca aici formeaza una din cele mai mari colectii de arta si istorie egipteana.

RIZALENIO said...

Are these artifacts real? Wow! How does it feel looking at these centuries-old relics? Wonderful museum...your photos too.

Traveling Hawk said...

Nu stiam, Mariana. Oricum, daca s-ar inapoia si altora ar ramane mult mai putin de vazut....

Traveling Hawk said...

Yes, Rizalenio, they are real!

Aliceee Traveler said...

Ma intreb, cat timp dureaza sa il vizitezi daca e asa mare?

joo said...

It's a grand place! One could spend weeks there admire theirco llections!
Have a nice evening:)

Traveling Hawk said...

Yes, Joo, you neeed much time to see everything. One has to use every visit to London to see a little bit of the museum.

VP said...

I admit that my visits there amount more at wanderings, but I have been there so many times that I recognise many of the subjects of your images.

Traveling Hawk said...

VP, I didn't spent so much time there either but these are really famous artefacts.

Phivos Nicolaides said...

So interesting, rich and beautiful!

Traveling Hawk said...

It is a marvelous museum, Phivos, indeed.

Raluca said...

Personal, marturisesc ca acesta colectie egipteana m-a impresionat cel mai mult cand am vizitat British Museum. Un obiectiv de neratat in Londra!