British Museum Press – förlag

Latin inscriptions can appear daunting – a jumble of letters without any structure or meaning. However, once you know how, most are easy to read as they follow strict rules of grammar and abbreviation. This book will teach readers how to ‘decipher’ them and will highlight how even the smallest piece of information that an inscription may provide can help classicists and archaeologists to reconstruct the daily life of ordinary Romans. While surviving literature often only relates to the lives of the elite (who could afford books), inscriptions were texts used by all and meant to be seen by all. Thus, they shed light on the lives of those classes of people less visible in the archaeological record – the poor, slaves and women. Illustrated with the best examples of inscriptions from the British Museum’s Roman collection, this book will explore the meaning of putting up public inscriptions and the standardised system of abbreviation that was used to ensure Romans from all areas of the Empire could read them. Written in the simple everyday-life Latin, they also reflect linguistic changes within society, allowing the modern day scholar to uncover the introduction of slang words and new spellings of Latin words. We may also stumble across spelling mistakes, for not everyone knew how to write Latin fluently, and often we find that words had been written phonetically. If the text of the inscriptions can give us one part of the information, often the style of decoration around the inscription, the accompanying images, or the original location can tell us even more. Every aspect of an inscribed monument was carefully chosen by the person commissioning the inscription, and thus carried specific meaning, and so combined with the texts of the inscriptions, it is possible to reconstruct pieces of the lives of everyday Romans that were thought most valuable to be remembered.

Cuneiform script on tablets of clay is, as far as we know, the oldest form of writing in the world. The choice of clay as writing medium in ancient Mesopotamia meant that records of all kinds could survive down to modern times, preserving fascinating documents from ancient civilization, written by a variety of people and societies. From reading these tablets we can understand not only the history and economics of the time but also the beliefs, ideas and superstitions. This fascinating book will bring the world in which the cuneiform was written to life for the non-expert reader, revealing how ancient inscriptions can lead to a new way of thinking about the past. It will explain how this pre-alphabetic writing really worked and how it was possible to use cuneiform signs to record so many different languages so long ago. Richly illustrated with a wealth of fresh examples ranging from elementary school exercises to revealing private letters or beautifully calligraphic literature for the royal library, we will meet people that aren’t so very different from ourselves. We will read the work of many scribes – from mundane record keepers to state fortune tellers, using tricks from puns to cryptography. For the first time cuneiform tablets and their messages are not remote and inaccessible, but wonderfully human documents that resonate today.

Have you ever wished that you could read the beautiful hieroglyphic script of ancient Egypt for yourself? Now you can, with the help of this practical step-by-step guide. It is suitable for complete beginners, or for anyone who would like to improve their knowledge of the language and culture of ancient Egypt.Mark Collier and Bill Manley have many years of experience teaching non-specialists at courses around the UK, so their approach is tried and tested. From the very beginning you will be introduced to genuine texts from ancient monuments. Each chapter introduces a new aspect of the ancient Egyptian language's hieroglyphic script and encourages you to develop your growing reading skills with practical exercises.The authors concentrate on a fascinating and rewarding group of monuments – funerary inscriptions, coffins and tomb scenes. The texts and supporting notes offer a first-hand insight into topics such as the pharaonic administration, family life in ancient Egypt, and ancient Egyptian approaches to death and the afterlife. With this book as your guide, you will be able to read with confidence the monuments reproduced in this book, and Egyptian monuments on display around the world.

Discover the real story behind The Dig, streaming now on Netflix, starring Carey Mulligan and Ralph FiennesThe objects unearthed in 1939 from an Anglo-Saxon ship-burial at Sutton Hoo, Suffolk, rank among the most splendid treasures in the collection of the British Museum. Bringing together fine craftsmanship from England, Germany, Scandinavia, Alexandria and far Byzantium, the spectacular finds included gold and garnet jewellery, silverware, drinking vessels with silver-gilt fittings, a lyre and a sceptre, as well as the iconic helmet, all deliberately buried in the early seventh century as grave-goods for an important, though unidentified, warrior. The Sutton Hoo ship-burial was one of the most exciting discoveries ever made in British archaeology. This beautifully designed introduction to the treasure details the most significant pieces contained within it and explores the circumstances of its burial, discovery and excavation, as well as its lasting legacy and fame.

The first stroke-by-stroke guide ever produced for learning to write Naskh, one of the six major cursive Arabic scripts. Its origins can be traced back to the late eighth century AD and it is still in use today, over 1300 years later. The Ottoman Turks considered Naskh the script most suited for copying the Qur'an and today more Qur'ans are copied in Naskh throughout the Islamic world than in all other Arabic scripts combined. This introductory workbook makes it possible for everyone to learn and enjoy the beauty of Arabic calligraphy. Based on his experience of running workshops and demonstrations at The British Museum and other cultural institutions around the UK, Mustafa Ja'far has created an easy-to-follow, teach-yourself guide.

A history of Korean art and culture told through an extraordinary collection of objects from the Lee Kun-Hee Collection.For over 2,000 years Korea has had a unique history and vibrant culture, frequently absorbing and adapting ideas from elsewhere to produce art and crafts that are distinctively Korean. Across the centuries, down to the present day, artists and craftspeople have taken inspiration from the past, re-creating and reinterpreting forms and meanings in innovative ways. Showcasing an exceptional collection of objects drawn primarily from the collection of the late Samsung Chair, Lee Kun-Hee, this new book presents Korean culture from its ancient roots through to the present day.Through four key periods – Ancient States to Unified Silla (prehistory–935 CE), Goryeo (918–1392), Joseon (1392–1897), and modern/contemporary – the authors explore each era’s differences in religion, economy and relations with neighbouring countries, factors that shaped artistic traditions and cultural values.From early Iron Age ritual bells, through to inlaid lacquerware, landscape paintings, portraits, sculpture, pottery and multimedia contemporary art, this beautifully illustrated new book celebrates the unique history, art and culture of Korea.

The Greeks and Romans were not shy about sex. Drinking cups, oil-lamps and walls were decorated with scenes of seduction and sexual intercourse which make the modern viewer blush; models of penises were worn around the neck or hung from doorways. In classical Greece, statues of erect penises served as boundary-stones and signposts. In Rome, marble satyrs and nymphs grappled in gardens. How are we to make sense of this abundance of sexual imagery? Were these images seductive, shocking, humorous? Were they about sex or love? And what and how do we learn from them? Sex on Show answers these questions by embracing ancient attitudes to religion, politics, sex and gender to examine how the ancient saw themselves and their world. Covering the sixth century BC to the fourth century AD, as well as some Neoclassical art from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Sex on Show uses detailed visual analysis to bring new insights to Greek and Roman culture and to the meaning of erotic imagery, past and present. This is not simply a book about sexual practice or social history. It is a visual history – about what it meant and still means to stare sex in the face.

Lindow Man was accidentally discovered by peat-cutters in Cheshire in the 1980s. He was first thought to be a modern murder victim, but scientific investigations soon proved that he had died in the first century AD, around the time of the Roman conquest of Britain. The environment of the peat bog had kept his body in a remarkable state of preservation, and he is still providing a wealth of information to researchers about the diet and health of people at that time. Many theories have been put forward about his death. He was (apparently) struck on the head, strangled, and his throat was cut, before he went into the marsh. Does this literal overkill indicate that he was a sacrificial victim? Experts are still trying to understand exactly how he died. Other bog bodies have been found in Ireland and Scandinavia – what are the possible connections? Jody Joy tells the gripping and gruesome story of the discovery, examination and Lindow Man, and explores the many unanswered questions which remain.

Discover Japanese art like no other. Originally created by the artists of the ukiyo-e ‘school of the floating world’ to advertise brothels in 17th-century Yoshiwara, these popular ‘spring pictures’ (shunga) transcended class and gender in Japan for almost 300 years. These tender, humorous and brightly coloured pieces celebrate sexual pleasure in all its forms, culminating in the beautiful, yet graphic, work of iconic artists Utamaro, Hokusai and Kunisada. This catalogue of a major international exhibition aims to answer some key questions about what shunga is and why was it produced. Erotic Japanese art was heavily suppressed in Japan from the 1870s onwards as part of a process of cultural ‘modernisation’ that imported many contemporary western moral values. Only in the last twenty years or so has it been possible to publish unexpurgated examples in Japan and this ground-breaking publication presents this fascinating art in its historical and cultural context for the first time. Within Japan, shunga has continued to influence modern forms of art, including manga, anime and Japanese tattoo art. Drawing on the latest scholarship and featuring over 400 images of works from major public and private collections, this landmark book sheds new light on this unique art form within Japanese social and cultural history. Shunga: sex and pleasure in Japanese art is published to accompany an exhibition at the British Museum from October 2013 to January 2014.

Chinese script is one of the oldest forms of writing in existence. Its origins can traced back to at least the second millennium BC and it is still in use today, over 3000 years later. Calligraphy, the creation of the written characters on paper with brush and ink, has traditionally been revered as one of the highest forms of Chinese art. Standard style or regular script (kaishu), with its own distinct combination of legibility and elegance, has been fundamental to the calligrapher’s art since the end of the Han dynasty in the third century AD. Building on his wide experience of running workshops and demonstrations for beginners, Qu Lei Lei has distilled the basics into an easy-to-follow, teach-yourself guide.

The Parthenon is one of the world’s most iconic buildings: today, its silhouette symbolizes Greece. Built on the rocky acropolis of Athens in the aftermath of the devastating invasion of Xerxes, the Parthenon was part temple to Athene, part war memorial, part treasure trove of some of the most outstanding art of its age. Parthenon: Power and Politics on the Acropolis takes the reader through the dramatic story of the conception and creation of the Parthenon, setting it against a turbule nt historical background and rooting the building firmly in the real and mythological landscape of Athens. Written as a pacy, narrative history, the text features a cast of memorable characters, including Themistocles, the general whose decision to eva cuat e Athens led to the Persian sack of the acropolis; Pericl es, visionary statesman and mastermind of the Athens’ building project; and Pheidi as, who created the cult statue of Athene, and narrowly escaped impeachment for embezzlement. Beautifully illustrated with evocative site photography, details from the Parthenon sculptures and other related artworks from the superb collection of the British Museum, this book explores the Parthenon as the spiritual heart of a network of commanding buildings, de vised by Pericles and continued by his successors to promote the power of Athens as leader of the Greek world.

One of the best known figures from Roman history, Nero (r. AD 54–68) is most often characterised as a tyrannical and ineffectual ruler, who fiddled while Rome burnt. Such a reputation has, however, been shaped by ancient literary sources written by his adversaries and enemies and, in light of new research, can be considered crudely reductive. This publication, and the exhibition it accompanies, redresses the balance and provides a more nuanced interpretation of Nero’s reign and Roman society of the time, reflecting on the traditional perceptions of his rule and revealing the challenges with which the young heir to Claudius’ empire had to contend.The period during which Nero ruled over Roman society was one of profound change. The extent of the empire at the time was vast, having grown significantly during the previous century through conquest and annexation, and peace and prosperity followed years of bloody war. The role of Nero’s mother Agrippina in his accession to the throne is well-documented, but her expectations of great influence once Nero was in post were not met and the role of women, and family more widely, is considered in detail in this book.In addition to familial conflict, Nero also had to confront the threat of rival powers and the assimilation of newly conquered territories, which provided him with the opportunity to prove himself as a strong military leader. Alongside military campaigns, he adopted ‘populist’ policies, was preoccupied with the beautification of the heart of his empire, which was subsequently devastated by fire, and enthusiastically engaged in theatre and entertainment.Nero’s rule was curtailed by military rebellion in AD 68 and the embattled emperor ultimately committed suicide. His death brought to an end the reign of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, and the subsequent vilification of his memory and the removal and desecration of his image are an enduring, but misleading, legacy.

A collection of outstanding and fascinating artists’ books revealing the inspirations and concerns of a group of remarkable contemporary artists. ‘More than a simple reflection of the British Museum’s artist-book holdings, this is an important index of artists’ responses to the issues and circumstances that have shaped the Arab world in recent times.’ – ArtReview ‘A rare treat…a passionate and extremely well organized analysis of over 60 artists’ books from the [British] Museum’s collection.’ – The Markaz Review In the hands of artists and poets, books have been taking a radically different form since the advent of the artist’s book in Paris in the early 20th century. Appearing in a variety of shapes and sizes, as one-offs or small print editions, books offer artists and poets a novel form of expression. In the words of Indian artist Nalini Malani (b. 1946), the book is ‘a carrier of experience’, in which whole worlds are encapsulated. In this beautifully produced book, works made by artists from Beirut to Tunis and beyond highlight the relationship between artists and writers and the influences that inform their work, from family to politics and everything in between. Lebanese artist Abed Al Kadiri (b. 1984) conceived his book during the first month of the pandemic to explore his family history, while through the eyes of Iraqi artist Kareem Risan (b. 1960) we see the shocking aftermath of a deadly explosion on the streets of Baghdad in 2005. These artists also find inspiration in classical poetry and literature. Some of their works respond to and are informed by the medieval Persian poetry of Rumi and Hafez, as well as the tales of The Thousand and One Nights.

This panoramic illustrated history explores the varied styles, techniques and materials used to make jewellery throughout the world since earliest times. Egyptian necklaces, Celtic torcs, South American gold masks, Renaissance pendants and Art Nouveau buckles are among the range of masterpieces described by a team of experts from the British Museum and illustrated with 400 superb photographs. This reissue includes images of major acquisitions made in the last ten years, particularly from Europe since 1700 and from Asia.

Shortlisted for Exhibition Catalogue of the Year in the British Book Design and Production Awards 2022. ----------'Hokusai: The Great Picture Book of Everything... is both an important contribution to the existing scientific knowledge of the work of this outstanding Japanese artist and an important illustrative source for researchers representing such fields as art history, sinology, Japanese studies, Korean studies, cultural anthropology and cognitive anthropology. For a reader who is not professionally connected with any of the scientific disciplines, Hokusai's mastery of drawing may prove to be an inspiration to broaden their knowledge in the field of history of art and history of culture.' – Ethos, quarterly magazine---------- A landmark publication of a major new discovery of over 100 drawings by foremost Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai. Acquired by the British Museum in 2020, these previously unpublished drawings had been forgotten for over 70 years.Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849) is considered by many to be Japan’s greatest artist. During his seventy-year career, he produced a considerable oeuvre of some 3,000 colour prints, illustrations for over 200 books, hundreds of drawings and over 1,000 paintings. These 103 exciting and exquisite small drawings were made for an unpublished book called Great Picture Book of Everything – featuring wide-ranging subjects from depictions of religious, mythological, historical and literary figures to animals, birds, flowers and other natural phenomena, as well as landscapes. They are dominated by subjects that relate to ancient China and India, and also Southeast and Central Asia. Many subjects found in the collection are not found in previous Hokusai works, including fascinating imaginings of the origin of human culture in ancient China.This beautifully produced book draws on the latest research, illustrating the complete set of drawings, published for the first time.

A comprehensive examination of drawings from the Low Countries (present-day Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands) dating from around 1430 to around 1600. This book is the culmination of a five-year research project combining curatorial, conservation and scientific expertise from the British Museum. The Low Countries were the economic and artistic powerhouse of northern Europe in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. This book charts the development and function of drawings as valuable records of creativity and exchange, shedding light on artistic techniques, styles and workshop practice. Key questions are addressed, such as: how these early drawings were made, used and understood by their contemporaries. Case studies selected from over 1,200 sheets from the British Museum’s outstanding collection are brought together to present a new paradigm for the understanding of Netherlandish drawings. Highlights include works by renowned artists Rogier van der Weyden, Lucas van Leyden, Pieter Bruegel and Hendrick Goltzius. With a focus on function and material, new connections from across the period enable the presentation of a unified narrative of drawing in the region.

Praise for the exhibition***** The Telegraph ***** The Times***** Daily Telegraph**** The Evening Standard“Plunge into the infinity pool of ancient Egyptian history with this dizzying array of artworks” - Waldemar Januszczack, Sunday Times Culture magazine Today the history of ancient Egypt is known around the world, recognisable in precious museum collections and countless retellings from popular culture. Yet for hundreds of years, from the late Roman Empire to the 19th century, the wonders of this ancient civilisation were frozen in time, locked in artefacts that could not be understood due to the loss of the ancient Egyptian language. In 1799 the discovery of the Rosetta Stone, a slab inscribed in three scripts, hieroglyphs, demotic and Greek, changed the course of history, unlocking thousands of years of ancient culture and eventually becoming one of the world’s most famous museum artefacts.The British Museum’s exhibition Hieroglyphs: unlocking ancient Egypt and this accompanying publication tell the story of the Rosetta Stone and of countless other objects that were key to efforts to decode the hieroglyphs dating back to the Islamic Golden Age. Featuring fascinating objects from the British Museum and international lenders, the book shows how the presence of a written language was the key to understanding life in ancient Egypt, from everyday business affairs to the sacred secrets of the afterlife. Interweaving the story of decipherment with colonial history, the book takes readers up to the present day, revealing what researchers are doing now to tell us more about one of the world’s longest surviving civilisations through the understanding of their writing.Published to coincide with the bicentenary of Jean-François Champollion’s breakthrough in decipherment, this beautifully illustrated book shows how an unassuming grey stone was the key to the secrets of ancient Egypt and led to the most significant code breaking moment in history.

Showcases the British Museum's remarkable collection of graphic art from the post-war period to the present day from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland. With many works published for the first time, this lavishly illustrated publication celebrates the recent acquisition programme designed to expand the Museum's holding of contemporary prints and drawings from the Nordic countries. Many of the artists are little-known outside the region and this new title firmly establishes their importance on the world stage. These Nordic artists examine the fundamental themes of nature, the environment, identity and heritage through visually arresting and beautiful prints and drawings. The overwhelmingly spectacular landscape of the region features prominently in many works - dark fjords, vast uninhabited mountain ranges and heavily forested areas provide a counterpoint to depictions of densely crowded, highly developed urban spaces viewed through the Nordic lens. A growing mood of melancholy and existential angst, emerging from the trauma of the Second World War and the uncertain threat of the Cold War, is often illustrated by a lone, brooding figure. Prints from the 1970s convey a deep criticism of US foreign policy and the Vietnam War, but ironically adopt the iconography of American Pop Art by using striking contemporary imagery and bold use of colour. The Indigenous Sami people living in the northern part of Scandinavia and Russia address issues such as their own heritage and identity within the Nordic world. Regional identity is also explored from pride in the artists' own native countries to coded references to their 'Viking' past. The book also features works by contemporary Nordic artists who are constantly challenging the idea of the 'perfect' Scandinavian social world often projected by these countries to outsiders.

The Bayeux Tapestry is one of the most significant surviving objects in European history. This book celebrates its unique loan to the British Museum and will be the essential volume about the Tapestry for generations to come.The Bayeux Tapestry is a unique historical artwork almost 70 metres long, which tells the story of the events leading to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 by William, Duke of Normandy. Its account of the eleventh century in England and France is like no other, revealing details from civil and military architecture to armour, seafaring and everyday life. Featuring a full-colour reproduction of the Tapestry, this beautiful new book allows the reader to follow the narrative visually, while texts from international experts unpick the importance of the work in understanding this pivotal point in European history.The latest research into the Tapestry is presented across five chapters that explore its patronage, design and production, its status as an iconic work of art, and its depictions of daily life. Focused profiles woven throughout introduce key figures from the world of the Tapestry, offering moments of personal connection within the sweeping story.Including a fold-out jacket to reveal a key scene, this publication marks the historic moment of the loan of the Tapestry to the British Museum, the first time it has been displayed outside of France in almost 1,000 years.

This groundbreaking volume brings together scholars of the art and archaeology of late antiquity (c. 200−1000), across cultures and regions reaching from India to Iberia, to discuss how objects can inform our understanding of religions. During this period major transformations are visible in the production of religious art and in the relationships between people and objects in religious contexts across the ancient world. These shifts in behaviour and formalising of iconographies are visible in art associated with numerous religious traditions including, but not limited to, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, religions of the Roman Empire, and paganism in northern Europe. Studies of these religions and their material culture, however, have been shaped by Eurocentric and post-Reformation Christian frameworks that prioritised Scripture and minimised the capacity of images and objects to hold religious content. Despite recent steps to incorporate objects, much academic discourse, especially in comparative religion, remains stubbornly textual. This volume therefore seeks to explore the ramifications of placing objects first and foremost in the comparative study of religions in late antiquity, and to consider the potential for interdisciplinary conversation to reinvigorate the field.

From late antiquity through to the early middle ages, people across north-western Europe were inscribing runes on a range of different objects. Once identified and interpreted by experts, runes provide us with invaluable evidence for the early ‘Germanic’ languages – including English, Dutch, German and the Scandinavian languages – and reveal a wealth of information about our early civilisations. Runes employ many techniques from informal scratchings to sophisticated inlaid designs on weapons, or the exquisite relief carvings of the Franks Casket. The task of reading and understanding them involves a good deal of detective-work, calling on expertise from a number of academic disciplines: archaeology, art history, linguistics, and even forensic science. This book tells the story of runes from their mysterious origins, their development as a script, to their use and meaning in the modern world. Illustrated with a range of beautiful objects from jewellery to tools and weapons, Runes will reveal memorials for the dead, business messages, charms and curses, insults and prayers, giving us a glimpse into the languages and cultures of Europeans over a thousand years ago.

‘The Great Wave’ is a colour woodblock print designed by Japanese artist Hokusai in around 1830. The print, of which numerous multiples were made, shows a monster of a wave rearing up and about to come crashing down on three fishing boats and their crews. One of a monumental series known as ‘Thirty-six views of Mount Fuji’, Hokusai’s Great Wave – with the graceful snow-clad Mount Fuji on the horizon, unperturbed but wittily dwarfed by the towering strength of the wave that threatens to engulf the struggling boats – has become an iconic image of the power of nature and the relative smallness of man. One of the most famous pieces of Japanese art, this extraordinary artwork has had a huge impact worldwide and has served as a source of inspiration to artists, both past and present. This beautifully illustrated book explores the meaning behind Hokusai’s Great Wave, in the context of the Mount Fuji series and Japanese art as a whole. Taking an intimate look at the Wave’s artistic and historical significance and its influence on popular culture, this concise introduction explains why Hokusai’s modern masterpiece had such an impact after its creation in 1830 and why it continues to fascinate, inspire and challenge today.

Netsuke have once again come to the fore in the popular imagination of the public. In part this is due to the phenomenal success of Edmund De Waal’s 2010 book, Hare with the Amber Eyes, which highlights a treasured netsuke collection that was challenged by war and the vicissitudes of time. Intricately carved from various materials including ivory, wood and metal, these small toggles served a practical purpose in Japan: a netsuke was used to fasten a man’s sash, an integral part of Japanese costume. Up until the seventeenth century netsuke were relatively insignificant objects that were rarely of artistic interest, but as time passed they evolved in terms of both materials and workmanship, and were then used by men to flaunt their wealth or as an expression of status. Today netsuke are considered an art form in their own right and are prized by collectors around the world. They are found in a variety of forms and depict a wide range of subjects – including figures of human and legendary form, ghosts, animals, botanical subjects and masks. Skilfully worked, these miniature carvings are of great artistic value, but they also provide a window into Japanese culture and society. This book brings together one hundred of the most beautiful and interesting netsuke from the extensive collection of the British Museum, each of which has its own special charm and story to tell. Uncovering the stories behind these netsuke and coupling them with stunning new photography, this book reveals why these tiny objects have captivated so many, the meaning they have held for those who wore them, and what they can tell us about Japanese everyday life.

On 5 July 2009 a metal-detectorist started to unearth gold objects in a Staffordshire field. Thus began the discovery of the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon treasure ever found. Consisting of over 1600 items – including fittings from the hilts of swords, fragments from helmets, Christian crosses and magnificent pieces of garnet work – the Staffordshire Hoard has begun to rewrite history. This new and extended edition of the successful title by Kevin Leahy and Roger Bland delves deeper into the story behind the hoard, using the latest research to fill previous gaps in knowledge and turn some of the original ideas about the discovery on their head. Complete with new photography of the cleaned and conserved objects, showing off the stunning and intricate decoration, this book provides a fascinating account of the history and the discovery of this remarkable hoard.

Japanese woodblock prints of the Edo period (1615–1868) were the products of a highly commercialised and competitive publishing industry. Their content was inspired by the vibrant popular culture that flourished in Edo (Tokyo). At any given time scores of publishers competed for the services of the leading artists of the day. Publishers and artists displayed tremendous ingenuity in finding ways to sustain demand for prints and to to circumvent the restrictions placed upon them by government censorship. Japanese woodblock prints have long been appreciated in the West for their graphic qualities but their content has not always been fully understood. In recent years, publications by scholars in Japan, Europe and the United States have made possible a more subtle appreciation of the imagery encountered in them. This book draws upon this recent scholarship to explain how those who first purchased these prints would have read them. Through stunning new photography of both well-known and rarely published works in the collection of the British Museum, including many recent acquisitions, the author explores how and why such prints were made, providing a fascinating introduction to a much-loved but littleunderstood art form.

A handy and colourful illustrated guide to reading, writing and understanding ancient Egyptian names, epithets, titles and phrases.The Egyptians believed that the creator god Ptah brought the world into being by naming everything in it. Names had great power, and kings often over-wrote their own names on monuments of earlier rulers. A person’s name was a vitally important part of them, and the Egyptians were very concerned that their names should be recorded, remembered and spoken. Criminals and those who had fallen out of favour could be punished – wiped out of history – by having their names destroyed or defaced.The hieroglyphic script provided a beautiful, flexible and expressive meaning to write the names of humans, gods and animals. Angela McDonald explains the meanings of Egyptian personal names and how they were made up (Rameses = “Ra has given birth to him”), and demonstrates how they were written in different ways to convey various shades of meaning.Royal and divine names are always given special treatment. The Egyptians were not always formal, and nicknames were common. Even the names of pet animals are recorded in tomb paintings.

The British Museum watch collection is unsurpassed anywhere in the world, and tells the story of the watch which spans an incredible 500 years. Within the collection are examples ranging from sixteenth-century early stackfreed watches made in south Germany to exquisite decorative watches of the seventeenth century. Everyday watches from the eighteenth century and precision-made chronometers from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries are included, as are examples from the modern era. All the major makers of Europe and America will be represented, including Thomas Tompion, whose reputation stretched far and wide even in his own time, and the Swiss-born Abraham Louis Breguet, who lived and worked in Paris supplying the best that money could buy to the crown heads and aristocratic families of the western world. In contrast to the high precision of the horological giants, the Museum has a growing collection of wristwatches, including those with automatic winding systems. There are also extensive collections of pin-pallet lever watches made for the mass market during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries by companies such as Waterbury and Ingersoll. The collections are brought up to the minute with the inclusion of early examples of electro-mechanical watches and the quartz revolution.

Ur, one of the world’s first cities, was highly important politically and economically around 2600 – 2500 BC when the Sumerian rulers of the city were buried in tombs filled with ornate, valuable objects and with evidence of elaborate rituals and human sacrifice. Without the artefacts from the tombs of Ur it would be very difficult for us today to visualise Sumerian history and know anything about Sumerian art. Of all the objects found in the royal tombs of Ur, the Standard is the most informative yet also the most enigmatic. The Standard was given its name because it lay in a tomb near the shoulder of a man as if it had been carried like a battle standard. However, its real function and purpose within the tomb is still unknown. It was originally hollow, like a box, and is decorated on four sides with mosaic images created with inlays of shell, lapis lazuli and red limestone that were set into bitumen on a wooden frame. The two main, rectangular sides sometimes referred to as ‘war’ and ‘peace’, show scenes of a battle and of a banquet. Both of these themes, commonly depicted in Mesopotamian art, are shown on the Standard using a narrative technique that was to be used in Mesopotamia for almost two thousand years and can still be appreciated today. Viewed as a remarkable work of ancient art the Standard testifies to sophisticated Sumerian craftsmanship and the wide tr ade networks and wealth of the city of Ur. More importantly for us today, it is also a realistic and lively representation of aspects of the life and concerns of people who lived in one of the world’s great ancient civilisations during the third millennium BC. This beautifully illustrated short introduction tells the story of discovery and significance of this splendid object.

‘Filled with insights, the very latest research and plenty of surprises: a superlative catalogue of one the most ambitious and spectacular exhibitions ever staged at the British Museum.’ – Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads: A New History of the World ‘A sumptuous book…a book of the exotic and the wonderful, a trip to ancient and far-away lands, a book full of artistic and cultural treasures, a book to savour and enjoy.’ – Sacred Hoop magazine A richly illustrated publication that explores the networks of contacts and exchanges spanning Afro-Eurasia from 500 to 1000 ce, highlighting how the movement of people, objects and ideas shaped cultures and histories. The term ‘Silk Road’ conjures a range of romantic images. Camel caravans crossing desert dunes. Merchants trading silk and spices. Far-flung commerce between ‘East’ and ‘West’. The reality was far richer. Focusing on a defining period between 500 and 1000 CE, this beautifully illustrated book reimagines the Silk Roads as a web of interlocking networks linking Asia, Africa and Europe, from Japan to Ireland, from the Arctic to Madagascar. It tells a remarkable story of people, objects and ideas flowing in all directions, through the traces these journeys left behind – including ceramics from Tang China recovered from a shipwreck in the Java Sea, sword-fittings set with Indian garnets buried in England, and a selection of letters and legal texts from a synagogue in Cairo revealing a Jewish community’s links from India to al-Andalus. Woven throughout, encounters with various peoples active on the Silk Roads, from seafarers to Sogdians, Aksumites and Vikings, reveal the human stories, innovations and transfers of knowledge that emerged, shaping cultures and histories across continents centuries before the formation of today’s globalised world.