Minerva Magazine 202
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Making a splash
How did water go from being something to fear to a place of privilege in Greece and Rome? Karen Eva Carr plunges into the cultural history of swimming.
Secrets of their craft
Many metalworkers and ceramicists in Renaissance Europe seemingly had no qualms about killing a lizard – or other animal – for their art. Pamela Smith investigates the intriguing practice of life-casting that turned nature into art, and why artisan authors recorded practical knowledge in words.
Exciting discoveries at Sir John Soane’s Museum and a cobalt mine in Cheshire
Two recent discoveries in very different sites in England are offering close connections to unknown workers of the 19th and 20th centuries. In Sir John Soane’s Museum, in London, restoration work is
Pangu and divine intervention
Pangu was born in the midst of an egg-like chaos. After 18,000 years, the two muddled parts separated, and the Yin (which represents the negative, feminine, cool, dark, and wet) became the earth and the Yang (representing the positive, masculine, hot, bright, and dry) the sky.
Halet Çambel
This ruined city had richly carved monumental gateways and, even more significant, an 8th-century BC stela that, bearing the same text in both the Phoenician alphabet and Luwian hieroglyphics, gave Çambel the key to unlock the Luwian language for future scholars.
The Mysteries of Mithras
Sculpted scenes of the youthful Mithras slaying a bull have been found across the Roman Empire, offering an image of a god that is unlike other deities in the Roman pantheon. Margaux Bekas and Pascal Capus take us into the heart of this enigmatic cult.
The War That Made the Roman Empire: Antony, Cleopatra, and Octavian at Actium
Review by Diana Bentley. Few episodes in antiquity are more gripping than the epic struggle for political supremacy and survival between Octavian, heir of Julius Caesar; his rival, politician and general Mark
A prehistoric goddess? Archaeologists unearth unique Iron Age clay figurine
Archaeologists unearthed the figurine in a prehistoric gully near a Hallstatt period settlement occupied in the 8th-6th century BC.
Mountain fortress in Iraq could be the royal city of Natounia, researchers suggest
Based on the architectural association between Rabana-Merquly’s rock reliefs, fortifications, and settlements, and some specific types of pottery, the team have tentatively dated the site’s main building phase to the 1st century BC.
Exploring myth and legend with Janina Ramirez
Historian Janina Ramirez tells Diana Bentley about her latest work delving into stories of celebrated archaeological discoveries and the people behind them, and of the medieval women all-too-often overlooked by history.
Pearl of the Desert: A History of Palmyra
Review by Jennifer A Baird. Palmyra has long been considered the jewel of Syria. In recent years, the site – which is internationally well-known for its monumental remains – has become infamous
Early Chimú carving unearthed in Peru
Parts of a necklace of nectandra seeds and small bag were also found with the sculpture.
Roman sanctuary revealed in the Netherlands
As well as the remains of the temple buildings, many votive altars, and sculptures, archaeologists also unearthed fire pits with vestiges of sacrifices.
Minerva Magazine 196
Meeting the Ancient gods under a Turkish house
Research into an intriguing rock relief recorded in the subterranean chambers is revealing details about religion and style in the region during the Neo- Assyrian Empire.
The Great British Dig: History in Your Back Garden
Review by Eugenia Ellanskaya. When it comes to interpreting archaeological sites, invisible ink comes to mind as a common medium that has been used to paint the elusive picture of our past.
On show: exhibitions from around the world in 2022 and 2023
The dates listed below may have changed since we went to print. Check the websites of the museums for the most up-to-date information and bookings.
Feminine Power: She who must be obeyed
An exhibition on Feminine Power currently at the British Museum journeys through the beautiful, but dangerous, realm ruled over by great goddesses. There, Lindsay Fulcher discovers, men are often afraid to tread.
Amaterasu – imperial goddess of the sun
Summer is in full swing, bringing with it the promise of long, bright days under the shining sun. This all-powerful celestial body has long been linked with kingship: Louis XIV of France,
From sphinxes to saints: exploring the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The new galleries at the MFA, Boston, cover more than 2,000 years of art. We take a look at a some of the highlights from the ancient Greek, Roman, and Byzantine worlds.
Athens of America: an interview with curators at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
At the end of last year, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston – the city known as ‘the Athens of America’ – opened a renovated suite of five galleries devoted to the art of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium. Lucia Marchini speaks to curators Christine Kondoleon, Laure Marest, and Phoebe Segal to find out about how they are using technology and even modern art to help visitors see ancient artefacts in a new light.
Supersize finds from Sardinia and Egypt
At the site of Mont’e Prama in Sardinia, archaeologists have uncovered Bronze Age fragmentary sculptures of two boxers. And at Saqqara, a host of statues, coffins, and figurines have been revealed.