There’s a cool new museum exhibit in Chi-Town – at the Field Museum.  Called “Masterpieces of Ancient Jewelry: Exquisite Objects from the Cradle of Civilization” it will focus on the ancient Middle East, including “never before seen artifacts from the ancient site of Kish”.  And a Google search reveals that Kish is in ancient Mesopotamia and lies 12 miles east of the modern city of Hillah, Iraq.  There’s some really cool stuff from that era and that locality.  The exhibit is open from Feb 13, 2009 through July 5, 2009 and damn, I wish I could go!  There is a book available, through Amazon, listed under the same name (as these catalogs tend to be) and is only about $30. (on sale right now for $22…and eligible for free shipping )

It’s hosted by the National Jewlery Institute, of which more info can be found here: http://www.nationaljewelryinstitute.org/

Speaking of museums, 2 months ago I took the opportunity to visit one of my area’s locals, Discovery Place, to take in “A Day in Pompeii” which was ‘visiting’.

Pompeii’s incredible level of preservation has always fascinated me and it’s story is probably the reason why I love history so much.

So this exhibit, after decades of careful work and research, shows what Roman life was like – including body casts.  Yes, body casts – the plaster reliefs of the “carbonized” (not really, and yes, you can faintly hear the Star Wars theme in the background) victims.  What really happened was a 2nd pyroclastic flow, almost wholly composed of scalding wet ash that encased the people and animals of Pompeii and suffocated them.  Their bodies eventually decomposed and left the shells.  In 1860 the first attempts to make plaster reliefs was made.  There were several on display at this exhibit.  It was profound.  An eerie mix of art and death.

There were slices of life on display, from  the local fast food emporium (I do not kid), to the average bed frame style in the average well to do Roman villa.  How wine was stored and shipped to a copy of carbonized bread that had been freshly made the day of the eruption.

Among other things I was there to see whatever jewelry was on display.  There was several pieces, mostly gold work, but a few of glass as well.

One of these items, a ring made of iron (I think, it seems I did not write that down, bad artist) that had the faces of a pair of snakes on it.  They were the ‘terminals’ of the ring shank and likely would have been the ‘visible’ (top) portion of the ring.    What I could not figure out is whether the snake heads were carved or cast  – the problem with seeing things on display, you only get a select view.  The heads could very well have been cast, but I have yet to  make a foray into rings beyond how they are made in a modern way. (info is hard to find, or affordable)

There were bracelets of hammered gold, giving a slight tubular look.  The edges were the fascinating part though, on the bracelets and all the other gold work (earrings, dome bracelets) – the goldsmith had only turned the edges enough to keep the metal from being a cutting edge.  What is remarkable is that I think this was done simply through hammering. (I believe the technique is called “forming” – more research!)  The half dome earrings had this extra stabilizing technique of a soldered bar running from top to bottom.

The half dome spheres in one bracelet were connected by simple links and was fastened with a leaf shaped clasp.

Glass paste was also a favorite.  There was one necklace of blue, fluted glass beads that was graduated!  It was very pretty.

Apparently, the terracotta red color was made famous simply due to the volcanic soil of the area.  It too was used in making jewelry, as well as the amphorae used to store liquids like wine and olive oil.

Another strangely fascinating side note, the amphorae were point ended.  No reason for this is given.  It does mean that to store upright, the jars have to be put in holders (and in fact, the examples on display were in a holder); I do not recall a reason being given for why the points  exist.  Yet one more point of research (lawl! pun!)

in other news – I am working again.  For much of last year, I found it hard to sit down and do either research or construction.  I have found my muse, or she found me  – the jury is still out on that one.  But I’m glad she’s back.