Important But Lesser Known Pieces In The British Museum
Though there are so many artifacts at display in the British Museum, not all of them are so famous. People usually speak and hear of some of the very important displays like the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian Mummies, Parthenon Marbles, etc. However, there are many other important displays inside the museum, which are not so well known to the people. Here is a list of some of such important, but lesser known artifacts in the British Museum.
The Holy Thorn Reliquary
There is a jewel box in room number 2A of the museum, which contains around 300 valuable objects from medieval Europe and Europe at the time of the Renaissance. It was in 1898 that Baron Ferdinand Rothschild, a collector of such objects, handed over his collection to the museum. The Holy Thorn Reliquary, which is dated to 1397, houses one of the thorns from the crown made of thorns, which was put on Jesus Christ’s head at the time of his crucifixion. Also, you can see a 16th-century theatrical cabinet, which has the appearance of a mini-stage set. You may also find a 17th-century jade cup that has handles in the form of two dragon-like figures.
Oxus Treasure
In room 52 lie the objects which resonate the skill of gold and silversmithing in the Achaemenid period (550-331 B.C). There are about 170 gold and silver objects displayed here. History says that these objects were found by a British officer when he saved a group of merchants from some bandits near the Oxus River. The collection had sculptures, vessels, coins, and votive plaques.
African Collection
This collection is very diverse and the Benin Plaques of the 16th century is very notable. These were the decorative items for the king’s palace. Most of them depict court life and the rituals happening in the court. There are also some plaques displaying the European adventurers and gods. Each plaque has its background and story, which makes them all the more lovable.
Hoa Hakananai’a
This is a statue of the very famous Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean. The crew of a British ship took it from there in the year 1868. The statue is a very heavy one weighing around four tons and is made out of the volcanic rock. The statue is so mesmerizing and you will surely adore its beauty for quite a while.
In your visit to the British Museum, include these important artifacts in the list of the must-see objects.