Rune Soup
British Museum
Review: The Hajj At The British Museum
In 1324, Mansa Musa, king of the Malian empire, left on his pilgrimage to Mecca. He took with him a retinue of 60,000 followers, used Andalucian architects to build a palace in Timbuktu along the way and peaceably incorporated a quarter of Africa into his realm. When he was done, he had the second biggest [...]
Review: Treasures of Heaven Exhibition at The British Museum
So how was your Saturday? My mother the psychonaut and I saw a piece of the True Cross, had some brunch, then pub-crawled down the Thames drinking Pimm’s and rosé. The head is a bit sore this morning, to be honest. In fact, I don’t think I’d get through the door of the exhibition today. [...]
When Buddha Met Hercules: The Lessons of Aï Khanum
In 1964, the Afghan King Zahir Shah was hunting in the marshlands by the Oxus river, close to the Soviet border. One of the local villagers showed him a carved stone. This turned out to be a fortuitous move. You see, the King was a passionate antiquities expert. He immediately recognised its significance and got [...]
Real Life Magic Artefacts: The Lothar Crystal
It sounds like a Buffy prop, doesn’t it? But no, it’s real, just like the Warren Cup. However it’s considerably younger. It was made in the mid-800s in Germany (which may explain its craftsmanship and longevity?) No one knows precisely why it was made but we can make an educated guess as to for whom. [...]
Real Life Magic Artefacts: The Warren Cup
Did you know that there is an actual black grail? A physical object from antiquity that the was banned from entering a terrified America as late as 1953? (It was turned away from New York for being too controversial. Joke’s on whoever made that call.) Did you know that it was only publicly displayed twice [...]
An Ancient Egyptian Pain Killer
Being under the weather makes you think about things like pain killers.. And boredom… And what you have in the cupboard because nuts to going outside. As I was rearranging my bookshelves in preparation for the arrival of two more to catch the overflow I found a title I bought at the Book Of The [...]
Review: Egyptian Book of The Dead Exhibit at The British Museum
I like museums. I have always liked museums. Especially the British Museum. I don’t want to say it’s an unhealthy obsession but I don’t know anyone else who has visited these items as often as I have. And I like Ancient Egypt. It’s been an obsession since before I was ten. But I don’t want [...]
If You Were Ever Going To Visit Me
Make sure it is in the five months from the beginning of November. Want to know why? Because the British Museum is playing host to a “once in a lifetime” exhibition of the Ancient Egyptian Book of The Dead. When they say this, they mean it. They said it for the Hadrian exhibition -and it [...]
What Wizards Taught Me: August 22
You know those weeks where it seems like 109.3% of the people you know has a birthday? Yeah well, I just lived through one of them. And because I am the ‘optimal’ combination between lazy and opportunistic, I bowled over all the gift shopping in one evening: The British Museum had a ‘members only’ night [...]
What Do You Do With A Wand?
I was killing time in one of London’s better occult bookstores just down from the British Museum before going to hear a talk on Ancient Rome. On one of the main tables I saw a book and wand kit called Wanding. So I read the back of it. Now, I certainly had no intention of [...]
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