Tag Archives: Bath

Hadrian exhibition starts soon

Marble bust of the Roman Emperor Hadrian wearing military dress. From Hadrian’s Villa, Tivoli, Lazio, Italy, c. AD 118–130

Marble bust of the Roman Emperor Hadrian wearing military dress. From Hadrian’s Villa, Tivoli, Lazio, Italy, c. AD 118–130

On the 24th July, the British Museum‘s eagerly awaited exhibition on the life of the Emperor Hadrian is due to open in the Round Reading Room. This follows on from the blockbusting ‘First Emperor’ exhibition that closes a few weeks ago and garnered much critical acclaim and helped the BM to beat Blackpool as the UK’s biggest tourist attraction. The Times quoted:

[..]attracting 6.04 million people, an increase of more than one million on the previous 12 months.[..]The museum’s blockbuster on China’s First Emperor, with its lifesize terracotta warriors among more than 120 objects lent from the tomb of Qin Shihuangdi, exceeded initial expectations twice over, with more than 850,000 visitors.

Today’s Times also carries a review of the exhibition giving it 5 stars and I’ve picked a few pieces out I liked:

The British Museum now assembles a spectacular show whose exhibits range from the heftiest stone pieces to the most fragile slips of papyrus with anything from portrait sculptures, through stone inscriptions and architectural models, to coins and mosaic pieces in between. [..]

This show has a spacious and unhurried feel. Each item is given the opportunity to speak. And the exhibition finds a particularly evocative setting in the specially adapted space of the museum’s round reading room, the dome of which is a direct reflection of the Pantheon, whose spectacular rotunda – the largest un-reinforced concrete dome in the world – Hadrian pioneered.

The BM’s website has a series of short videos, narrated by the Director Neil MacGregor, about Hadrian’s Empire the building of the eponymous wall, and soon there will be new additions on his love life (complicated), his visionary building plan – the amazing Pantheon in Rome for example and also the power of the image in Rome.

An As of Hadrian found on the Isle of Wight, record IOW-072A43

An As of Hadrian found on the Isle of Wight, record IOW-072A43

The Scheme has now recorded a large corpus of coins issued by Hadrian and one of these features in the exhibition. This is a relatively inauspicious copper alloy As found on the Isle of Wight and recorded with Frank Basford. The reverse of this coin (IOW-072A43) depicts Britannia, who earlier this year was removed from the Nation’s coinage. Sam Moorhead has added this to the record created by Frank:

This, the first representation of Britannia on the Roman coinage, commemorates victories in Britain over northern barbarians in Britain (possibly the northern Brigantes and Caledonians tribes) following their revolt during Trajan’s last years. It is also a type of coin that appears to have been issued for use in Britain only, hence it has been classified in David Walker’s report on the coins from Bath as a “Coin of British Association”.

The list of images and text below, relates to the coins that we have recorded and is a dynamic RSS feed which updates automatically when a new coin is recorded. We now have 727 examples recorded from around England and Wales.
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[feedsnap]http://www.finds.org.uk/rss/hadrian.php[/feedsnap]
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These finds can be represented on a google map as shown below (precise locations degraded to protect landowners’ privacy and the rights of the finders) where national grid references have been converted to Latitude or longitude. (Not many at the moment!)
View Larger Map

National Archaeology Week events

Throughout National Archaeology Week (14 – 22 July) the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) will be running a series of archaeological finds identification and recording sessions at local museums and other venues: often these will include a variety of other activities for adults and children. On the 14 July, in conjunction with experts at the British Museum and local museums, there will be at least one Finds Roadshow in every part of the country.

14 July (national event)

North of England
Grosvenor Museum, Chester, Cheshire – 10.30-16.30 (contact: Frances McIntosh – T. 0151 478 4259).
Museum of Antiquities, Newcastle-upon-Tyne – 10.00-16.00 (contact: Rob Collins – T. 0191 222 5076; robert.collins@ncl.ac.uk).
Museum of Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire – 12.30-15.30 (contact: Dot Bruns – T. 01772 532175; Dot.Bruns@mus.lancscc.gov.uk ) (educational event only).

West Midlands
Roman Alcester Heritage Centre, Alcester, Warwickshire – 11.30-14.30 (contact: Angie Bolton – T. 01905 721130; abolton@cityofworcester.gov.uk).

East Midlands
Chesterfield Museum, Chesterfield, Derbyshire – 11.00-15.00 (contact: Anja Rohde – T. 01332 716665; anja.rohde@derby.gov.uk).
Jewry Wall Museum, Leicester, Leicestershire – 11.30-16.00 (contact: Wendy Scott – T. 0116 265 8325; wscott@leics.gov.uk).
Wooton Hall Park, Northampton, Northamptonshire – 10.00-15.00 (contact: Steven Ashby – T. 01604 237249; sashby@northamptonshire.gov.uk).

East
Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire – times tbc (contact: Philippa Walton – T. 01223 717573; philippa.walton@cambridgeshire.gov.uk).
Verulamium Museum, St Albans, Hertfordshire – 11.00-16.30 (contact: Julian Watters – T. 01727 751 826; j.watters@stalbans.gov.uk).

South West
Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter, Devon – 10.30-16.00 (contact: Danielle Wootton – T. 01392 665858; danielle.wootton@exeter.gov.uk).
Salisbury Museum, Salisbury Museum, Wiltshire – 10.00-16.00 (contact: Katie Hinds – T. 01722 332151; katiehinds@salisburymuseum.org.uk).
Wimborne Minster, Dorset – 10.00-16.00 (contact: Ciorstaidh Hayward Trevarthen – T. 01305 224921; c.h.trevarthen@dorsetcc.gov.uk).

South East
Havant Museum, Havant, Hampshire – 10.30-15.30 (contact: Rob Webley – T. 01962 848269; RWebley@winchester.gov.uk).
Guildford Museum, Guildford, Surrey – 11.00-13.00 (contact: David Williams – T. 01737 247296; david.williams@surreycc.gov.uk).
Maidstone Museum, Maidstone, Kent – 10.00-16.00 (contact: Andrew Richardson – T. 01622 221544; andrew.richardson@kent.gov.uk).
tbc Michael Faraday School, Southwark, London – times tbc (contact: Kate Sutton – T. 020 78145733; ksutton@museumoflondon.org.uk) (educational event only).
Newport Roman Villa, Newport, Isle of Wight – 10.00-16.00 (contact: Frank Basford – T. 01983 529963; frank.basford@iow.gov.uk).
Risborough Festival – Risborough Community Centre, Risborough, Buckinghamshire – 14.00-17.00 (contact: Ros Tyrell – T. 01296 624519; rtyrrell@buckscc.gov.uk).

15 July
Archaeological Excavation, Bigbury-on Sea, Devon – times tbc (contact: Danielle Wootton – as above) (educational event only).
Grosvenor Museum, Chester, Cheshire – 10.30-16.30 (contact: Frances McIntosh – as above).
Roman Town House, Dorchester, Dorset – 11.00-16.00 (contact: Ciorstaidh Hayward Trevarthen – as above).
Maritime Museum, Lancaster, Lancashire – 14.00-16.00 (contact: Dot Bruns – as above) (educational event only).
Verulamium Museum, St Albans, Hertfordshire – 14.30-16.30 (contact: Julian Watters –as above).

16 July
Burton Family & Local History Centre, Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire – 10.00-12.00 & 13.00-15.00 (contact: Caroline Johnson – T. 0121 303 4636; caroline_a_johnson@birmingham.gov.uk) (educational event only).
Gosport Discovery Centre, Gosport, Hampshire – 10.30-15.30 (contact: Rob Webley – as above).
Wakefield Museum, Wakefield, West Yorkshire – 14.00-16.00 (contact: Amy Cooper – T. 01924 305359; acooper@wyjs.org.uk).

17 July
Rickinghall Church, Rickinghall, Suffolk – 14.00-18.00 (contacts: Faye Minter & Jane Carr – T. 01284 352 449; faye.minter@et.suffolkcc.gov.uk).
St Chad’s Church, Stafford, Staffordshire – 10.30-14.30 (contact: Caroline Johnson – as above).

18 July
Clifton Park Museum, Rotherham, South Yorkshire – 14.00-16.00 (contact: Amy Cooper – as above).
Museum of Archaeology, Southampton, Hampshire – 10.00-15.00 (contact: Rob Webley – as above).
Museum of Lancashire, Lancaster, Lancashire – 14.30-16.30 (contact: Dot Bruns – as above). (educational event only).
Rugby Museum & Art Gallery, Rugby, Warwickshire – 13.00-14.30 (contact: Angie Bolton – as above).
Swindon Museum, Swindon – 10.00-12.30 & 13.30-16.00 (contact: Katie Hinds – as above).
Warrington Museum, Warrington, Cheshire – 13.00-16.30 (contact: Frances McIntosh – as above).

19 July
Lancaster City Museum, Lancaster, Lancashire – 14.30-16.30 (contact: Dot Bruns – as above).
Mansfield Woodhouse Library, Mansfield Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire – 10.30-14.00 (contacts: Rachel Atherton & Anja Rohde – T. 01332 716665 ; rachel.atherton@derby.gov.uk).
tbc St Chad’s Church, Stafford, Staffordshire – times tbc 09.30-11.30 & 12.45-14.45 (contact: Caroline Johnson – as above) (educational event only).

20 July
Alton Museum, Alton, Hampshire – 10.30-15.30 (contact: Rob Webley – as above).
Museum of Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire – 14.30-16.30 (contact: Dot Bruns – as above).
Norton Priory, Halton, Merseyside – 12.00-16.30 (contact: Frances McIntosh – as above).

21 July
Andover Museum, Andover, Hampshire – 10.30-15.30 (contact: Rob Webley – as above).
Buckinghamshire County Museum, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire – 11.00-16.00 (contact: Ros Tyrell – as above).
The Roman Baths Museum, Bath, North East Somerset – 10.00-16.00 (contact: Kurt Adams – T. 0117 9222613; kurt_adams@bristol-city.gov.uk).
Bolton Museum, Bolton, Greater Manchester – 10.00-16.30 (contact: Frances McIntosh – as above).
Donington Manor House, Donington Le Heath, Leicestershire – 11.00-16.00 (contact: Wendy Scott – as above).
Guildhall in Priory Park, Chichester, West Sussex – 10.00-13.00 & 14.00-16.00 (contact: Liz Andrews-Wilson – T. 01273 405731; FLO@sussexpast.co.uk).
Chippenham Museum, Chippenham, Wiltshire – times tbc (contact: Katie Hinds – as above).
Kirton Living History Festival, Kirton, Suffolk – 11.00-17.00 (contact: Faye Minter & Jane Carr – as above).
Lancaster City Museum, Lancaster, Lancashire – 10.30-15.30 (contact: Dot Bruns – as above).
Leatherhead & District Museum, Leatherhead, Surrey – 10.00-16.00 (contact: David Williams – as above).
Museum of London, London – times tbc (contact: Kate Sutton – as above).
Millgate Museum, Newark, Nottinghamshire – 10.30-12.30 (followed by an educational event only from 14.00-16.00) (contacts: Rachel Atherton & Anja Rohde – as above).
North Lincolnshire Museum, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire – 11.00-15.00 (contact: Lisa Staves – T. 01724 843533; lisa.staves@northlincs.gov.uk).
Royal Cornwall Museum, Truro, Cornwall – 10.00-16.00 (contact: Anna Tyacke – T. 01872 272 205, ext 219; anna.tyacke@royalcornwallmuseum.org.uk).
Wells Museum, Wells, Somerset – 12.00-16.00 (contact: Naomi Payne – T. 01823 320200; NCPayne@somerset.gov.uk).
Oxfordshire Museum, Woodstock, Oxfordshire – 10.30-16.30 (contact: Charlotte Burrill – T. 01635 519534; cburrill@westberks.gov.uk).

22 July
Devizes Museum, Devizes, Wiltshire – 11.00-16.00 (contact: Katie Hinds – see above).
Museum in the Docklands, London – times tbc (contact: Kate Sutton – see above).
Sefton Museum, Sefton, Merseyside – 14.00-17.00 (contact: Frances McIntosh – see above).
Woodbury Castle & Common, Woodbury, Devon – times tbc (contact: Danielle Wootton – see above).