Archeology

The Vintage Egyptologist

Hilde Heyvaert

Colleen Darnell and her husband John have devoted themselves to Egyptology and educating people on the subject — in the vintage styles of, mostly, the 1920s. All the more reason to follow them! Not only do you get a look at exquisite Roaring Twenties fashions; you learn a lot about Egyptian history.

I recommend their Instagram and YouTube channel. (Did you know the Egyptians had cat memes?) They have a dedicated Instagram account where you can learn to read hieroglyphs.

Continue reading “The Vintage Egyptologist”

Oceania

Hilde Heyvaert

Cinquantenaire Museum Belgium Oceania exhibit
Oceania exhibit at the Cinquantenaire Museum, Belgium, January 21 (Hilde Heyveart)

Exhibitions at the Cinquantenaire Museum have a lot of live up to. While it is one of the least known museums in Belgium, and often gives the impression of being grossly underfunded (most general admission halls don’t even have heating in winter, be warned), it generally puts up exhibitions that can easily rival with those in big museums of international renown, such as the British Museum.

This time they teamed up with the Museum for Middle Africa, which means they had access to more pieces than just their own collection.

So was Oceania on that same level? Stick with this review and find out! Continue reading “Oceania”

Dippy the Diplodocus Makes Way for Whale

Hilde Heyvaert

It’s finally happened. Today is a sad, sad day indeed, for Dippy the Diplodocus, who has been the face of London’s Natural History Museum and a great love of the public since his unveiling in 1905, is no longer gracing the Hintze Hall. He’s starred in movies and series (quite recently in season 3 of Penny Dreadful) and now he must make way for the skeleton of a great whale. Continue reading “Dippy the Diplodocus Makes Way for Whale”

Sunken Cities: Egypt’s Lost Worlds

Hilde Heyvaert

British Museum Sunken Cities Egypts Lost Worlds exhibit
Sunken Cities: Egypt’s Lost Worlds exhibit at the British Museum in London, England (British Museum)

We are known to have a keen interest in archaeology and history, not just that of the ‘punk eras and archaeological techniques of those times. A fine example of the latest scientific progress in the domain of recovering ancient cultures is Sunken Cities, currently running at that established home of history: the British Museum. Continue reading “Sunken Cities: Egypt’s Lost Worlds”

Djehutihotep

Hilde Heyvaert

Cinquantenaire Museum Belgium Djehutihotep exhibit
Djehutihotep exhibit at Cinquantenaire Museum, Belgium, January 10 (Hilde Heyvaert)

The secondary Egypt exhibit at the Cinquantenaire Museum is accessible on both a Sarcophagi and a general-admission ticket and is located on the top floor of the museum.

While their Egypt collection is amazing in its own right, displaying many pieces you won’t see anywhere else, it is treated a bit like the unfavored stepchild. Everything else is beautifully presented, yet these are all simple displays and often the lighting is bad, which is a shame. Some pieces have also been moved (possibly to Sarcophagi), leaving ugly empty gaps. Continue reading “Djehutihotep”