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Telegraph
20 hours ago
- Telegraph
The anti-woke brigade won't like it, but this ‘inclusive' museum is actually rather good
Past mountainous warehouses, down a listless canal, and into the quiet academic quarter with its beige halls soaring into skies that never seem to cease to rain, stands Manchester Museum. With the institution freshly glistening with ' European Museum of the Year 2025 ' status, I ventured in to see if this superlative accolade is justified, immersing myself in ancient earrings, psychedelic rickshaws and the tooth of an 80-million-year-old shark, the mellow rain of Manchester pattering on the roof. The museum's purpose is written in the atrium: 'To build understanding between cultures and a more sustainable world.' This isn't really a museum about Manchester, more of artefacts, animals and artworks that have ended up in the museum's collection, and a mosaic of perspectives from ethnic minority communities living in, studying at, or in some way associated with Manchester. It strives to be 'the most inclusive, imaginative and caring museum you'll ever visit'. Essentially, the museum is about belonging. It is this bold curatorial line that gives it a distinctive flavour, with each of the four main galleries contributing to the central theme in interesting and surprising ways. I first entered Ancient History, Contemporary Belonging, a gallery of ancient and medieval artefacts from Anatolian earrings to marvellously-preserved Roman playing pieces, ancient Egyptian cat idols to hoards of delicate medieval silver coins. The rooms are a little over-stuffed, and some of the information plaques positioned so low that all the stooping became exhausting. I had to be economical in what I examined, but this made me worry that I was overlooking some gems, sometimes quite literally. Despite these gripes – entrance is free, anyhow, so you can always come back – a strong flavour of displacement emerged, a synergy between the migration of ancient historical objects and of people. More topical than ever at a time when George Osborne is reportedly negotiating a 'reciprocal, long-term loan' which would send the Elgin Marbles back to Greece, it was hard to peruse the collection without wondering how on earth so many of these rare finds ended up in Manchester and the answers, one suspects, are not always savoury. You're encouraged to consider the human stories of migration, the sometimes traumatic tales of persecution, forced upheaval and dreams of a better life that help to explain how a Mesopotamian hair-pin fetched up in front of you. Many museums now engage in this kind of soul-searching, but here it is taken a step further. Manchester University students of migrant heritage have been invited to respond. The juxtaposition of an 'official' plaque next to a personal response presents a person's lived experience as an echo of the narrative. On paper, this is fraught with risk, threatening to debase the whole thing into mawkish amateurishness. But many of the responses are in fact profoundly moving, making the galleries feel less lofty and academic than their equivalents in, say, the Ashmolean or the British Museum. The next gallery focuses on animals that belong – or should belong, if we weren't doing so much to make the earth uninhabitable. Cinematically lit, with a veritable menagerie of taxidermy and lifelike models, this is an emporium of wonder, at times a cacophony of delighted children's wails. It was exhilarating to stare into the eyes of an African hunting dog, a North American woodchuck, or Maude the tigon – a cross between a male tiger and a lioness, once a beloved feature of Manchester's Belle Vue Zoo – finally on display after 70 long years existing as a rolled-up skin in a storage vault. Stuck on one glass panel, in stark red letters, is the word 'Decolonise!' – signalling its inclusion in the museum's Decolonise! Trail. Of course, this will make some people groan. But the manner in which it is done, at least, is original. It feels like a Just Stop Oil-style organisation has placed it here; a performative act of self-sabotage. It's just one act of curatorial dandyism. Elsewhere, an empty glass box commemorates species that became extinct. In another display, the stuffed heads of tigers and lions loom like phantoms of guilt over black-and-white photographs of hunters. It's only when the curatorial voice slips from posing questions to telling you the answers that the device galls. I felt this peering into a surrealist reconstruction of a curator's office, eerily frozen in time since the 1920s, all mahogany desks and exotic bric-a-brac. It is, we are told, 'like a glimpse of our colonial unconscious' – yet all I could think about was how cosy and charming it looked compared with soulless modern offices. The South Asia Gallery – bright, airy, perfectly spaced – casts a spotlight on the experiences of British Asian communities. Scenes of oppression, violence and starvation under the East India Company and the Raj are included, as one might expect, appearing as incongruously beautiful panels in the atrium. Objects that were 'violently plundered', were are told, have not been included. One of the most poignant parts of this gallery are the displays that bring to life 'hidden' voices within British-Asian communities. The prejudice historically felt by mixed-race Asians is rendered palpable and real. The exhibition on LGBT people of British Asian heritage is particularly moving: their feelings of loneliness, confusion and self-loathing, as well as hope, are all conjured from cuttings from 1990s magazines, help forum notices and leaflets. A final gallery attempts the same thing (slightly less successfully) from an East Asian perspective. I was fascinated to learn that Manchester has a higher proportion of Chinese émigrés than any other city in Europe. It's one of the few revelations we get about Manchester itself. I hankered for more on how this great industrial behemoth came to be, and its later metamorphosis into a modern city of culture. Many, no doubt, would find the emphasis upon displacement, multicultural identity and preserving the environment preachy and over-rehearsed. Some might even declare the whole thing a Trojan's Horse of woke tosh (when I'd read that the museum has 'safe spaces' for anyone who finds the exhibitions traumatising, I did cringe). But Manchester Museum nails its colours to the mast. And it's only fair to judge something by what it is trying to achieve. Does it succeed on its own terms? Overwhelmingly, yes.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
1,700-Year-Old Roman Artifact Depicting Gods in Drinking Contest Unearthed
In a discovery hailed as the 'first of its kind,' archaeologists in Israel have found a Roman marble sarcophagus which depicts a scene of the mythical gods Dionysus and Hercules engaged in a drinking contest, according to a press release from the Israel Antiquities Authority. The artifact, which is estimated to be about 1,700 years old, was discovered during an excavation in Caesarea, which lies along the country's Mediterranean coast. "We were uncovering soft dune sand when suddenly the tip of a marble object appeared," explained archaeologists Nohar Shahar and Shani Amit. The coffin had been broken into many pieces, but overall remained fantastically preserved. "Piece by piece, we revealed gods, satyrs, animals, and finally the crowning scene—Hercules reclined on a lion's skin, cup in hand, clearly defeated." "This isn't just decoration," Shahar continued. "This motif of the drinking contest between Dionysus and Hercules, while found in mosaics from Zippori and Antioch, has never been discovered on a sarcophagus in our region. It reflects a belief that death marks not an end, but a transition-celebrated with wine, dance, and divine company." After a painstaking conservation process undertaken by a series of experts, the full scene emerged for the first time in centuries. The scene finds famously strong Hercules felled not by his mythical opponents, but rather wine, as Dionysus looks on unfazed. "It's clear who won the contest," Shahar cracked. "Hercules can no longer stand." The sarcophagus will shortly be on display for the public. "This sarcophagus prompts us to rethink the spiritual and physical geography of Roman Caesarea," said Eli Escusido, Director of the Israel Antiquities Authority. "It's a powerful example of how Roman-era funerary art merged myth, ritual, and personal legacy."1,700-Year-Old Roman Artifact Depicting Gods in Drinking Contest Unearthed first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 14, 2025
The Independent
09-06-2025
- The Independent
Why this Mediterranean country is the perfect place for a family holiday
I step onto ancient stones in a clearing, surrounded by several tall columns reaching up into the bright blue sky. 'This would have been the agora, the marketplace,' says my guide David. We're standing in the middle of the ancient kingdom city of Amathus, dating back to the Iron Age of 1100 BC. 'They chose this spot because of the water source,' he explains, pointing to an area where a river once flowed as we climb through what was once ladies and men's public bathrooms. Aside from a small entrance fee (€2.50/£2), there are no barriers or walkways to enter the site and the only guided tours are organised by my hotel, Parklane Resort & Spa Limassol, a five-minute drive away on Cyprus ' south coast. 'The site is not getting the recognition it deserves,' says David, explaining that most tourists head for the area's better known archaeological wonders like Kourion. 'But this is the most important,' he insists. And it's still being excavated, so discoveries are being made all the time. 'Just one or two years ago parts of this were still underground'. The island of Cyprus, the third largest and third most populous island in the Med, has a rich ancient history – the first human activity was some 13 thousand years ago – and Cypriots take pride in many 'firsts' and 'oldests'. Although my four-year-old daughter is too young to appreciate the significance of ancient finds – including the oldest perfume factory in the world, the biggest handmade vase and a wine variety dating back to 800 BC – the island's combination of beach, sun and culture is the perfect balance to keep us both entertained on a short break. Parklane, a five-star resort and part of the Marriot group's luxury collection, is located a convenient 30 minutes from Larnaca airport and a further half hour to the country's second largest city, Limassol (which can be reached by a €40/£34 taxi or a slower local bus for €2/£1.70). The city is a busy business port but also home to well-known archeological sites, including the Sanctuary of Apollo and the ancient Limassol Castle with its attached medieval museum. There's also an attractive old town with cobblestone streets and overhanging terraces. Meanwhile, the picturesque village of Lefkara – famous for lace embroidery and silver craftsmanship practices preserved from the days of Venetian rule – is 30 minutes' drive inland. To get some time to head out of the hotel, I – like many parents – make use of the Explorers Kids Club. An expansive playground area, bouncy castle and shallow swimming pool complete with a pirate ship with slides are enough to keep kids smiling for hours. Here, parents can accompany their little ones at any time or pay extra to leave their children with the staff who organise activities for different age groups (from four months to 11 years), ranging from arts and crafts, games and swimming. Twice daily four-hour sessions run in the mornings and afternoons, giving parents time to explore or relax. One day, I opt for the latter and head to the spa, a small facility with treatment rooms and a steam room. The 60-minute Kalloni Experience massage is just what I need after a busy few weeks at work. The sandy beach is moments from our room (a smart, spacious super king with sea views) but the hotel's three large outdoor swimming pools are the real draw. Both to the front and side of the main building, there's so much pool space, we don't even get in them all – and you'll never be fighting for a deck chair. I spend several afternoons relaxing while my daughter happily splashes around. When temperature drops – or the wind picks up (as is common in Cyprus, particularly on the south coast) – there's a heated indoor pool, alongside a well-equipped gym and sauna. With five restaurants, the hotel's food options are varied and of great quality. We head to Lanes for a vast buffet breakfast, where omelettes are rustled up at the egg station, fresh fruit is in abundance and pink champagne flows. There's an international flair to most of the cuisine here, from sushi made to order at The Gallery, to a Cypriot-take on French food at La Petite Maison. For a more affordable option, the poolside Vithos is a sunny spot for a tasty lunch. For something really special, I head to seafood spot Nammos, where tables in a courtyard with hanging plants sit right on the sea. I order grilled squid followed by prawn ravioli in a bisque, and bask in the fresh air with a book and a glass of local wine – this time, child-free, while my daughter paints pottery in the kids club. As all parents will understand, sometimes you need a holiday from your holiday. How to plan your trip Rooms at Parklane, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Limassol ( start at €200/£173 per night, including breakfast.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Celtic quiz: Test your knowledge about these fierce tribes once described by Julius Caesar
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The ancient Celts were a collection of tribes that roamed Europe for centuries, reaching as far east as what is now Turkey. Best known from the writings of Julius Caesar, who recorded information on his war with the Gauls — a tribe that lived around modern-day France — the Celts are often depicted as violent, fierce and scruffy. But this picture has been filtered through ancient Roman and Greek authors who knew little about these groups, which spoke different languages and had complex cultures. There's also no universal definition of who counted as an ancient Celt. Some historians count only continental tribes as Celtic, while others view the Brittonic-speaking tribes in the British Isles, such as the Durotriges and Iceni, as Celts as well. The association of the Celts with only the British Isles — and with Ireland in particular — that often persists today is a Renaissance invention. Are you up to date on your knowledge of the Celts? Take our quiz to find out. Remember to log in to put your name on the leaderboard; hints are available if you click the yellow button! —Viking quiz: How much do you know about these seaborne raiders, traders and explorers? —Stonehenge quiz: What do you know about the ancient monument? —Ancient Maya quiz: What do you know about the civilization that built pyramids across Mesoamerica?
The Independent
15-05-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Surprising discovery at ancient Grecian burial ground
A tomb in Greece 's Vergina, previously thought to be the resting place of Alexander the Great 's father, Philip II, likely contains the remains of a different man and a young woman. Radiocarbon dating suggests the man and woman in the tomb lived between 388 and 356 BC, whereas Philip II died in 336 BC. The man's age at death (25-35) also contradicts Philip II's age at death (around 46). Six infants buried in the tomb between 150 BC and 130 AD are likely unrelated to the original occupants, suggesting it was reused during the Roman period, scientists say. Analysis suggests the man spent his childhood away from the Macedonian capital, while the woman likely lived in the Vergina/Pella area her entire life. Tomb thought to hold Alexander the Great's father actually found to contain remains of young woman and six infants
