Silver plate depicting Scythian gods found in Russia
Archaeologists excavating a Middle Don burial ground in the Ostrogozhsky District of the Voronezh region, Russia, have discovered a unique silver plate depicting winged Scythian gods and griffins.
mythology
Rethinking the Ancient Druids
In her latest book, Miranda Aldhouse-Green argues that we can broadly accept the portrait made of the Druids by ancient Greek and Roman writers, including their alleged practice of human sacrifice; and that many archaeological finds – cherry-picked from all…
News in brief: Roman frescoes and goddesses
A round-up the latest news in the world of Art History, including the discovery of Roman frescoes in a former Cinema in Verona, and the Louvre's acquisition of an important watercolour work.
Artemisia Gentileschi artwork on view in Los Angeles
This dramatic work has been acquired by the J Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, where it is now on view. Artemisia trained with her father Orazio Gentileschi, and her Lucretia joins two of his works in the Getty collection.
Sailing to Ithaca?
Is Ithaca, in fact, Odysseus’ island, where Penelope faithfully weaved, steadfastly waiting for her mischievous prince in their well-appointed palace?
The Aeneid: A New Translation
The great epic by Roman poet Virgil (or Vergil; 70-19 BC) became an instant classic. His Aeneid was celebrated by other poets and the imperial family, and taught in schools in antiquity (indeed, it is still taught in some schools…
Mare nostrum, Old Basing, Hampshire
The handful of sculptures and mosaics depicting this god that are known, however, include one on the pediment of the temple of Sulis Minerva in Bath.
The Children of Ash and Elm: A History of the Vikings
There has been much debate about what to call the people of medieval Scandinavia now known widely as ‘Vikings’. The term stems from the Old Norse vikingr, used to describe someone who went on seafaring expeditions, but this was not…
The Greek dead and the Great Beyond
The ancient Greeks thought much about the dead – how their remains should be disposed of, how their spirits might be summoned, how malignant they could be if unavenged. Classicist David Stuttard brings us face to face with the Greek dead.
New thinking in scholarship
A paper is not necessarily of value because it is heretical, of course; it may just be wrong.
New thoughts on the Boxford ‘Triumphs of Pelops and Bellerophon’ mosaic
The vibrant late 4th-century mosaic discovered in Boxford, Berkshire, has been hailed as one of the most important discoveries of its kind. Anthony Beeson explores the latest thinking on the stories told by its intricate imagery.
Thebes: city of myths
Sparta is famous for its warrior tradition, Athens for its intellectual and artistic achievement. But what of Thebes? As ancient historian Paul Cartledge explains, Thebes too had a most distinctive image.
The Giant’s story revisited: identifying the Cerne Abbas hill figure as ‘The Choice of Hercules’
Following our feature exploring the Cerne Abbas Giant’s date, Brian Edwards offers some thought-provoking insights into the Dorset hill figure’s historical context.
Albania and the Death of Pan
Devil or pastoral sprite and mischief-maker, Pan’s presence in the form of the lost sanctuary on Mount Mile lends a new dimension to the god’s story
Knossos: a journey to the centre of the labyrinth
A trip to Crete allows Rachel Glaves to delve into the fact and fiction of Knossos.
Classical buzz: bees in the Roman world
Lucy Shackleton lifts the lid on bee-keeping in the ancient world and sees how Virgil’s presentation of bees symbolises the role of the collective over the individual in Augustan Rome
Trojan War: the archaeology of a story
Many cities have fallen to subterfuge, fire, and the sword over the millennia, so why does our fascination with Troy remain so keen? Perhaps it is because Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey have become potent examples of the power of words. These tales of derring-do and destructive depravity coloured the Greek, Roman, medieval, and modern worlds so vividly that they have created a richer archaeological legacy than many real events. Lesley Fitton and Victoria Donnellan led Matthew Symonds through the twists and turns of a tale that changed the world.
Picasso – half man, half bull
Picasso never visited Greece, let alone Crete. He didn’t need to do so. He re-created it on paper. The drawings and prints in our show reveal how Picasso evoked the ancient world and peopled it with gorgeous girls who resembled his mistresses.
Isis in Italy
Dalu Jones follows on the trail of the Ancient Egyptian goddess to Pompeii, Naples and Turin