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Becky Wallower

@bwallower.bsky.social

archaeology, history, environment, quirky stuff -- love London, arts, travel -- writer, organiser, modest activist/stirrer 🏺

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Becky Wallower@bwallower.bsky.social · 8h ago

#ReliefWednesday August has arrived: in Tuscany it's time for harvesting lots of lovely fruit. We hope. Medieval labours of the month Iike this series on façade of Lucca's Cattedrale di San Martino point to what most occupied people through the year. With complementary zodiac.

Relief of a figure, rather badly deteriorated, standing on his one remaining leg, his hand extended to pluck fruit from an adjacent tree, which has a bag hanging from a lower branch. He is under an arch (on the facade of Lucca's Cattedrale San Martino) supported by two marble columns in green. Above the arch on the left is a pair of scales in a circular marble plaque with 'Libra' engraved above. On the right is a woman in a circular plaque with 'Virgo' engraved above. The figures are part of a two series under the portico of Lucca's Cattedrale di San Martino, set in pink and green marble backgrounds, alongside many other relief and inlay decorations.
Becky Wallower@bwallower.bsky.social · yesterday

#OwlAwarenessDay 🏺 Greeks + Daunians were very aware of owls, symbol of Athena, and feature of any posh tomb. Set of red figured skyphoi 'a civetta' (owl drinking cups) are from male tomb 669, full to brim w objects for the journey, in Lavello, ancient Forentum, conquered end C4 BC by Samnites.

Six black drinking cups with two handles extending from rims. They feature owls and olive branches in red and are arranged to show various aspects of the cups. They're displayed on a low mustard yellow platform in a display of grave goods in museum in Melfi.
Becky Wallower@bwallower.bsky.social · yesterday

#OwlAwarenessDay 🏺 Greeks + Daunians were very aware of owls, symbol of Athena, and feature of any posh tomb. Set of red figured skyphoi 'a civetta' (owl drinking cups) are from male tomb 669, full to brim w objects for the journey, in Lavello, ancient Forentum, conquered end C4 BC by Samnites.

Six black drinking cups with two handles extending from rims. They feature owls and olive branches in red and are arranged to show various aspects of the cups. They're displayed on a low mustard yellow platform in a display of grave goods in museum in Melfi.
History and Heritage Yorkshire@handhyorkshire.bsky.social · yesterday

🧵 6 posts. Plantation wealth left a lasting mark on Yorkshire through its grand country houses and estates. Profits from Caribbean plantations enabled wealthy British families to buy land, build homes, and secure social and political influence, embedding colonial wealth into the county's landscape.

An 1823 aquatint titled "Cutting the Sugar-Cane," depicting enslaved Africans harvesting sugarcane on a plantation in Antigua. It was created by William Clark for his publication, Ten Views of the Island of Antigua. It illustrates enslaved people harvesting cane with machetes while a white plantation overseer watches from horseback.
Becky Wallower@bwallower.bsky.social · 2d ago

#MosaicMonday 🏺 Giant fishes could be a tricky catch for 3-4 C #Roman period boatmen in this lively scene from Utica, Tunisia. British missionary Nathan Davis excavated on behalf of British Museum at Carthage + Utica, also retrieving Greek, Latin + Phoenician finds that arrived at Museum 1857-1860.

Two fishermen in a small tan coloured boat are surrounded by examples of different types of fish/sealife that are mostly larger than they are. On a background of plain white tesserae.
Becky Wallower@bwallower.bsky.social · 2d ago

#MosaicMonday 🏺 Giant fishes could be a tricky catch for 3-4 C #Roman period boatmen in this lively scene from Utica, Tunisia. British missionary Nathan Davis excavated on behalf of British Museum at Carthage + Utica, also retrieving Greek, Latin + Phoenician finds that arrived at Museum 1857-1860.

Two fishermen in a small tan coloured boat are surrounded by examples of different types of fish/sealife that are mostly larger than they are. On a background of plain white tesserae.
Becky Wallower@bwallower.bsky.social · 5d ago

#FrescoFriday 🏺 Warriors in bloody combat, perhaps to the death in elite funerary rite. Such battles may be origin of gladiatorial games: Livy says 1st games were in Campania 310BC and schools also started there. Fresco painted in situ on tomb slabs below-ground in Poseidonia (later Paestum) C4 BC.

Two warriors clash with shields and spears, shoeless and wearing only briefs and helmets. One on the left has bleeding wound in his chest, one on left has one on his left thigh. Colours are a deep red and gold on white background, and the figures have shading and lines to emphasise their strong physiques. The ground is a lighter red and there is a band with black and dark red, top and bottom of a light red continuous arrow shaped motif. Greco-Lucanian culture of C4 BC.
Becky Wallower@bwallower.bsky.social · 5d ago

#FrescoFriday 🏺 Warriors in bloody combat, perhaps to the death in elite funerary rite. Such battles may be origin of gladiatorial games: Livy says 1st games were in Campania 310BC and schools also started there. Fresco painted in situ on tomb slabs below-ground in Poseidonia (later Paestum) C4 BC.

Two warriors clash with shields and spears, shoeless and wearing only briefs and helmets. One on the left has bleeding wound in his chest, one on left has one on his left thigh. Colours are a deep red and gold on white background, and the figures have shading and lines to emphasise their strong physiques. The ground is a lighter red and there is a band with black and dark red, top and bottom of a light red continuous arrow shaped motif. Greco-Lucanian culture of C4 BC.
Becky Wallower@bwallower.bsky.social · last wk.

Light relief for #ReliefWednesday 🏺 Structor ('master builder') Diogenes signed his limestone panel showing tools of his trade, eg trowel, plumb line, cudgel or axe/hammer, scalpel - and the essential apotropaic phallus. Clearly proud of his trade... From Casa del Marinaio, Pompeii, in Antiquarium

A thick stone slab, crudely carved to illustrate the tools of a builder's trade in low relief, eg trowel, plumb line, cudgel or axe/hammer, scalpel. There is also an apotropaic phallus.
Becky Wallower@bwallower.bsky.social · last wk.

#TombTuesday Early 11th C tomb cover in Ringerike style popular in Scandinavia/Saxon England. Stylised serpent and lion fighting w inscription on left edge: 'Ginna and Toki had this stone made'. Found at St Paul's Cathedral 1852. BM loan to London Museum: but will we see it in new one in Nov?

Red stone carved in relief with a beast facing right with head pointed back, portraying a lion fighting a serpent. Legs are highly stylised in Scandinavian/Saxon style, using coil shapes for hips and curves.
Becky Wallower@bwallower.bsky.social · last wk.

#TombTuesday Early 11th C tomb cover in Ringerike style popular in Scandinavia/Saxon England. Stylised serpent and lion fighting w inscription on left edge: 'Ginna and Toki had this stone made'. Found at St Paul's Cathedral 1852. BM loan to London Museum: but will we see it in new one in Nov?

Red stone carved in relief with a beast facing right with head pointed back, portraying a lion fighting a serpent. Legs are highly stylised in Scandinavian/Saxon style, using coil shapes for hips and curves.