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Becky Wallower

@bwallower.bsky.social
1.7K followers 584 following 2K posts

archaeology, history, environment, quirky stuff -- love London, arts, travel -- writer, organiser, modest activist/stirrer 🏺

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Reposted by Becky Wallower
Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 14h
#WallsOnWednesday 🏺 Quite a few sections of #Roman / #medieval wall survive in City of London - sometimes more than first appears. Along street called London Wall is view on left. But much more is to be seen behind in the rather hidden Salters Company garden - a view both impressive and evocative.
View looking down from walkway above London Wall on Roman, Medieval and later remains of London City wall. In front of the wall are chairs set out on a paved public garden area. Behind is modern Salters Hall.An oblique view along a substantial portion of the Roman, Medieval and later wall. The Roman stonework is visible at the bottom, with a red brick section at the top.
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 2h
www.theartnewspaper.com/2026/09/30/r...
theartnewspaper.com
Relocation of ancient Maya structures to make way for railway prompts legal challenge
Mexican authorities have moved 47 structures affected by the construction of the Maya Train track to a four-hectare “memory park”
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 14h
#WallsOnWednesday 🏺 Quite a few sections of #Roman / #medieval wall survive in City of London - sometimes more than first appears. Along street called London Wall is view on left. But much more is to be seen behind in the rather hidden Salters Company garden - a view both impressive and evocative.
View looking down from walkway above London Wall on Roman, Medieval and later remains of London City wall. In front of the wall are chairs set out on a paved public garden area. Behind is modern Salters Hall.An oblique view along a substantial portion of the Roman, Medieval and later wall. The Roman stonework is visible at the bottom, with a red brick section at the top.
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Reposted by Becky Wallower
Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Going v large for #Michaelmas On top of precipitous 13th C façade of San Michele in Foro in Lucca, 4m high Archangel Michael slays evil dragon flanked by 2 fellow angels. As name suggests, church was built over the Roman forum, from 8th C. 🏺
St Michael, a huge saintly angel with a large head, wings with rows of feathery copper scales and a halo disc behind his head. He wears a robe and cloak, decorated in metal at hem, sleeves and waist, plus down the centre. He holds an orb topped with a cross in his left hand, and in his right a spear. which is calmly placed in the mouth of a writhing dragon at his feet.The facade of San Michele in Foro in Lucca, with four galleries with ranges of highly decorated arches, columns and capitals along the upper section.
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
www.theartnewspaper.com/2026/09/29/u...
theartnewspaper.com
Ukraine’s historic Academy of Sciences severely damaged by Russian drone
At least two were killed in the direct strike on the country’s top scientific institution, which is the latest cultural site to be targeted by Russian forces
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
www.theartnewspaper.com/2026/09/28/f...
theartnewspaper.com
Culture secretary confirms free admission for all at England’s national museums will remain
The announcement by Lisa Nandy, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, came after recent discussions of introducing admission fees for overseas visitors
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
www.theartnewspaper.com/2026/09/29/h...
theartnewspaper.com
‘He has committed no offence other than wanting to defend heritage sites’: arrest of Iraqi archaeologists sparks backlash
Many fear the real reason for Ali Tabar’s and Amir Al-Jumaili’s arrests are their campaigns against a controversial investment law
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Reposted by Becky Wallower
The Rose Playhouse @roseplayhouse.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
EXTENDED UNTIL 26 NOV Our new Thursday guided tours of the archaeological site of The Rose are proving so popular that we are continuing them until the end of November! And they are FREE to Southwark residents and children aged 15-and-under. More info & book: www.trybooking.com/uk/event/118972
The Rose in 1587, 1989 & 2025.
Image credit: © De Montfort University & Roger Clegg / Andrew Fulgoni © Fulgoni Copyrights Ltd / The Rose Theatre Trust.
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Reposted by Becky Wallower
Dr Ella Hawkins @ellamchawk.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Elizabethan playhouses were supplied by a network of tailors, merchants & craftswomen. Their names survive in records, but little is known about their lives. I’m working on new research that brings the stories of these makers & traders centre stage. Here is the project in biscuit (cookie) form. 🍪
A photograph of eight rectangular biscuits (cookies) arranged in two rows on a square white plate. The plate is framed on all sides by a trailing vine pattern in green with pops of red. The biscuits are mostly in shades of ivory, cream, yellow, and grey, with a burst of vivid red and blue in one corner of the arrangement. Moving across the top row of biscuits from left to right, the designs include: neat lines of handwritten names in an early modern parish register; a section of a hand-drawn map from 1561 featuring St Paul’s Cathedral, with street names like ‘Carter Lane’ visible in a tiny spiky font; an extract of text from a funerary monument printed in an early modern book, ending ‘So transitory is our glory’; a section of embroidery from a funeral pall featuring metallic silver armour, crossed gold keys, and two hands holding up a crown. The biscuit designs on the bottom row include: horses prancing past shopfronts on Cheapside in the mid-sixteenth century; a receipt written in early modern secretary hand, which is difficult to read; a portrait of a stern-looking women dressed in a ruff, pearls, and sober dark clothing; swirling calligraphy and dense secretary hand featuring on a will dating from 1638.
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Reposted by Becky Wallower
Durotriges Dig @durotrigesdig.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Orcadian Gothic A Neolithic couple stand before the chambered cairn of Wideford Hill #Orkney Painting by Brian Lee, spotted on the Historic Scotland site interpretation board, in homage to Grant Wood's famous 1930 painting Well played 👏 📷 Aug 2024 #TombTuesday #Archaeology
A woman with yellow hair and man with grey, both dressed in Neolithic textiles and furs, the man holding a shovel, stand infront of a stone built structure with thatched roof. Neither look happy
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Going v large for #Michaelmas On top of precipitous 13th C façade of San Michele in Foro in Lucca, 4m high Archangel Michael slays evil dragon flanked by 2 fellow angels. As name suggests, church was built over the Roman forum, from 8th C. 🏺
St Michael, a huge saintly angel with a large head, wings with rows of feathery copper scales and a halo disc behind his head. He wears a robe and cloak, decorated in metal at hem, sleeves and waist, plus down the centre. He holds an orb topped with a cross in his left hand, and in his right a spear. which is calmly placed in the mouth of a writhing dragon at his feet.The facade of San Michele in Foro in Lucca, with four galleries with ranges of highly decorated arches, columns and capitals along the upper section.
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Reposted by Becky Wallower
Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Lively #MosaicMonday from posh C4 #Roman villa at Horkstow Lincs once featured wheel w Orpheus in centre enchanting animals including this bear, elephant (yes really) + 6 others in panels around him. Now over Humber in Hull Museum of Archaeology 🏺 For painting of mosaics after 1797 discovery see 2/.
A partial survival of an interesting mosaic of Orpheus (who would have been in now missing centre of wheel like device) and 8 animals, 2 of which remain. In left remaining section is a part of a bear pouncing forward from hind legs. On right is an elephant, missing its trunk, with long legs. Below the wheel to the left a figure can be seen in the corner of the mosaic. 
Two wide bands that would have bounded the mosaic are seen - one guilloche and one floral vault variation - with rows of triangles pointing up and down on a white line between them. Colours throughout the mosaic are shades of red/brown plus black, white and grey.
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Lively #MosaicMonday from posh C4 #Roman villa at Horkstow Lincs once featured wheel w Orpheus in centre enchanting animals including this bear, elephant (yes really) + 6 others in panels around him. Now over Humber in Hull Museum of Archaeology 🏺 For painting of mosaics after 1797 discovery see 2/.
A partial survival of an interesting mosaic of Orpheus (who would have been in now missing centre of wheel like device) and 8 animals, 2 of which remain. In left remaining section is a part of a bear pouncing forward from hind legs. On right is an elephant, missing its trunk, with long legs. Below the wheel to the left a figure can be seen in the corner of the mosaic. 
Two wide bands that would have bounded the mosaic are seen - one guilloche and one floral vault variation - with rows of triangles pointing up and down on a white line between them. Colours throughout the mosaic are shades of red/brown plus black, white and grey.
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Reposted by Becky Wallower
Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
2 x #SaxonSunday from Essex 🏺 Paglesham great square headed brooch is bronze, once gilded, c. 550 AD: v ornate type typically worn by wealthy females, w faces on head, arms + foot. Smaller, simpler but chunky gold Prittlewell buckle likely made for burial of the 'prince' c. 580-605. Southend Museums
Paglesham brooch w cruciform top section, decorated with faces at head and arms, and at foot overlapping rectangular base section. Base has four heads with eyes/noses along the bottom. Proliffic scrolled, intertwining and animal decoration throughout.Simple but heavy gold buckle, shown with buckle at top on short side of triangular fitting below. Three domed circular features decorate the triangle with a rather shield shaped fitting for the buckle at the top. Said to be the most spectacular of items buried at Prittlewell.
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
#StoneworkSunday #SundayStonework #Roman 🏺 The Venus fountain in Decumanus Maximus of Herculaneum. It's been suggested that it features a bonus apotropaic eye to keep you safe, but it's probably just a spout, as Venus has enough going for her as symbol of love, beauty, fertility...
Narrow end of the stone tank of a public water fountain on the Decumanus Maximus of Herculaneum. At the end is a section protruding upwards with a relief of the goddess Venus, her hands near her head as if she's washing her hair. Beside her left thigh is an eye-shaped figure with a round hole at the left side. Some have interpreted this as apotropaic, but it's probably just spout for water to flow into tank from pipework. 
The road is visible to the right and behind the Venus figure - it leads to a brick-built arch over the street. This is the edge of the currently excavated sections of Herculaneum, with a high wall separating it from modern town.
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
2 x #SaxonSunday from Essex 🏺 Paglesham great square headed brooch is bronze, once gilded, c. 550 AD: v ornate type typically worn by wealthy females, w faces on head, arms + foot. Smaller, simpler but chunky gold Prittlewell buckle likely made for burial of the 'prince' c. 580-605. Southend Museums
Paglesham brooch w cruciform top section, decorated with faces at head and arms, and at foot overlapping rectangular base section. Base has four heads with eyes/noses along the bottom. Proliffic scrolled, intertwining and animal decoration throughout.Simple but heavy gold buckle, shown with buckle at top on short side of triangular fitting below. Three domed circular features decorate the triangle with a rather shield shaped fitting for the buckle at the top. Said to be the most spectacular of items buried at Prittlewell.
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Reposted by Becky Wallower
Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
#FrescoFriday Noticed more English apples hitting the market and supermarkets now, so here's a basket of not so early ones from Casa dei Cervi in Herculaneum.
A fresco of a woven basket with a handle, tipped over spilling apples in shades of red and gold along the floor.
The image is on a light blue background with a dark red border along the bottom, with a base panel of dark pink.
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Reposted by Becky Wallower
Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
#FindsFriday Among star finds from #Saxon Prittlewell Prince burial in Essex were #glass beakers w trailed lattice decoration. Beautiful and rare, so similar they were likely made as a pair, in Kent. Few other examples are known, almost all in high status burials. Southend Museums #Ancientbluesky 🏺
Two small deep-blue round glass vessels with a squat shape and trailed glass lattice decoration, forming diamond shapes around the body. They have a broad low rim at the top. Burial dated 580-605 AD and thought to be of Sæxa, brother of King Sæberht of Essex.
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
#FindsFriday Among star finds from #Saxon Prittlewell Prince burial in Essex were #glass beakers w trailed lattice decoration. Beautiful and rare, so similar they were likely made as a pair, in Kent. Few other examples are known, almost all in high status burials. Southend Museums #Ancientbluesky 🏺
Two small deep-blue round glass vessels with a squat shape and trailed glass lattice decoration, forming diamond shapes around the body. They have a broad low rim at the top. Burial dated 580-605 AD and thought to be of Sæxa, brother of King Sæberht of Essex.
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Reposted by Becky Wallower
PCA @pcaarchaeology.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Today we have a very special #FindsFriday ... a timelapse of the micro-excavation of the Iron Age Norfolk Carnyx Hoard. It’s pretty amazing to see the micro-excavation process and get a glimpse of the carnyx, boar standard and shield bosses as they're revealed. www.youtube.com/watch?v=pI9L...
youtube.com
Micro-excavation of the Iron Age Norfolk Carnyx Hoard
YouTube video by PCA archaeology
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
#FrescoFriday Noticed more English apples hitting the market and supermarkets now, so here's a basket of not so early ones from Casa dei Cervi in Herculaneum.
A fresco of a woven basket with a handle, tipped over spilling apples in shades of red and gold along the floor.
The image is on a light blue background with a dark red border along the bottom, with a base panel of dark pink.
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Reposted by Becky Wallower
Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
#AdoorableThursday Super c.1500 oak door from a fine timber-framed house in Ipswich, featuring a dinky, well-used ogee-topped wicket door. Survival said to be thanks to thick, broad planks strengthened by sturdy carved uprights and large iron nails. In V&A.
A large iron door, set in its original frame, fixed to a structural pale white brick wall of V&A museum. The frame includes protruding timbers above that would have held roof of portico, and spaces for four small windows along the top. The sides of the frames are carved as pillars.
The wide door has a curved top, and a small wicket door with ogee at top within.
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
www.theartnewspaper.com/2026/09/23/d...
theartnewspaper.com
Giant Diego Rivera sculpture on Mexico City’s Olympic stadium to be restored
The restoration of Rivera’s work launches a multi-year initiative to preserve public art on the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México campus
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
www.theartnewspaper.com/2026/09/24/p...
theartnewspaper.com
Painting believed to be a newly discovered Goya to go on show at Museo del Prado in 2028
Spain’s culture ministry says “everything seems to indicate” that a painting owned by the gallerist Artur Ramon is an unknown work by the Spanish master
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
#AdoorableThursday Super c.1500 oak door from a fine timber-framed house in Ipswich, featuring a dinky, well-used ogee-topped wicket door. Survival said to be thanks to thick, broad planks strengthened by sturdy carved uprights and large iron nails. In V&A.
A large iron door, set in its original frame, fixed to a structural pale white brick wall of V&A museum. The frame includes protruding timbers above that would have held roof of portico, and spaces for four small windows along the top. The sides of the frames are carved as pillars.
The wide door has a curved top, and a small wicket door with ogee at top within.
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Come along with CBA London on 30 September as Jane Sidell of Historic England hosts a visit to the 700 year old Charnel House that once held bones from graves of the medieval Priory and Hospital of St Mary in Spitalfields. Half price for students! Details here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/going-unde...
eventbrite.co.uk
Going underground in Spitalfields with Inspector Sidell and CBA London
Atmospheric visit to remains of historic medieval charnel house
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
www.theartnewspaper.com/2026/09/23/b...
theartnewspaper.com
British Museum bans visitors from photographing Bayeux Tapestry
Some ticket holders have reportedly been turned away from the exhibition because previous visitors had taken too long taking photos
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
#Woodensday Salisbury Cathedral's Chapter House table. Legend has it that it's where the craftsmen who worked on the building were paid. It's late 13th/early 14th C (with later top), and now too big to fit through current doors, so it's going nowhere.
A large round table with eight ogee arches in a deep red colour, with blue in top corners behind each side of the arches. Arches are separated by columns with decorative rings top, bottom and centre. On sides of each column are long polychrome panels painted with fleur de lis and lions. 
The table sits on red and yellow figured tiles, in the antechamber of the chapter house of Salisbury Cathedral. In the background of the photo is an doorway with a pointed arch, and columns are visible on the ege of the entryway to the cloisters.
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Reposted by Becky Wallower
Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
#WorldRhinoDay Quite a heritage behind wonderful Indian rhino on lower panel of #bronze door of #Pisa Cathedral. Cast by Domenico Portigiani in 1602 based on Dürer's 1515 woodcut, w neck + head probably from Phillipe Galle's 1586 version of Madrid rhino at Philip II's court. Long may they live!
Image of rhino cast in bronze with scaly, decorative skin, especially around neck and legs, and big rounded belly. It's in a landscape with palm trees to right and behind to left, and floral/plant life underfoot. 
Two more rhinos are shown in far background on the horizon, perhaps fighting?
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
#TombTuesday Lancelot Andrewes, serving under Elizabeth I + James I as Bishop of Chichester, Ely and Winchester, was key in translation of King James Bible. Died 1626 in Winchester Palace; buried nearby @southwarkcathedral.bsky.social where that 400th anniversary is being marked this weekend. ALT
An elaborate gilded tomb: the rectangular tomb/plinth is of dark grey marble with three panels with the coats of arms of the Bishop. A sculpted polychrome image of him lies on top in robes, resting on red cushions. Above him four gilded ionic pillars with a zig zag decoration support a gilded canopy topped with further decorative features and a date of MCMXXX when the tomb was restored. The tomb has been moved twice.
A stand with votive candles sits in front of the tomb, and the view behind is into the chancel of the cathedral and to tombs beyond in the corresponding aisle the other side.
400th anniversary of death of Bishop Lancelot Andrewes is being marked in numerous events under the umbrella of Andrewes 400: https://cathedral.southwark.anglican.org/whats-on/2609-lancelot-400/
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
#WorldRhinoDay Quite a heritage behind wonderful Indian rhino on lower panel of #bronze door of #Pisa Cathedral. Cast by Domenico Portigiani in 1602 based on Dürer's 1515 woodcut, w neck + head probably from Phillipe Galle's 1586 version of Madrid rhino at Philip II's court. Long may they live!
Image of rhino cast in bronze with scaly, decorative skin, especially around neck and legs, and big rounded belly. It's in a landscape with palm trees to right and behind to left, and floral/plant life underfoot. 
Two more rhinos are shown in far background on the horizon, perhaps fighting?
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Reposted by Becky Wallower
Peter Coffman @petercoffman.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Tomorrow is the Fall #Equinox! Which means that when the sun rises at Loughcrew, Ireland, it will shine straight through the passage of the 5000-year-old tomb 'Cairn T' and illuminate the mysteriously carved backstone. Weather is expected to be sunny; should be unforgettable for a lucky few!
An earthen mound with an entrance opening flanked by upright stone slabs.View through an enclosed passage with upright stone slabs on either side, leading into a dark chamber.View of a very rough stone chamber with upright stone slabs on the sides, a corbeled domical roof, and a flat, carved stone at the far end.Close-up view of a stone slab with various indecipherable carvings on it depicting geometric shapes and patterns.
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
www.theartnewspaper.com/2026/09/21/m...
theartnewspaper.com
Rising costs force museums across North America to rethink climate control guidelines
Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems often account for 60%-70% of an institution’s energy consumption and lead to large carbon footprints
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
There at the weekend - hadn't really tried to picture his innards, so thanks for that! New visitor centre was great too, with a hugely knowledgeable and fascinating volunteer when we were there.
The huge 6 m long 1854 model of a megalosaurus in Crystal Palace park, before scientists realised it had been a bipedal dinosaur. Beautifully restored, it has sharp teeth, stands on four chunky legs, has a long fat tail, and is covered in curious scales. 
It's set on an island.
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Dr Rebecca Warren @drrjwarren.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Done.
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
#MosaicMonday 🏺 Unusual floor from 2C BC #Roman Taranto, excavated 1940. Panel w recurring wavy border frames a large lozenge w acanthus leaves in a radial pattern of alternating autumnal colours plus 'pistrice' (sea monster) in the corner. In MArTA.
A little over a quarter of central design of a mosaic floor in red, tan, black and white tesserae. Red on white wave pattern has a solid red surround, and a white band with in it. Inside that is a 90 degree offset square band with a pattern in a non-repeating design in all the colours. This contains a circle of dotted red, tan and white tiles, within which are radiating acanthus leaves in alternating red, white tan colours on a black background. And in the corner on a black background is a pestrice - a sea monster.
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
www.theartnewspaper.com/2026/09/18/f...
theartnewspaper.com
600-year-old funerary platform discovered in Peru
The massive burial site containing human remains and rich offerings likely belonged to Chimú elites
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
#MosaicMonday 🏺 Unusual floor from 2C BC #Roman Taranto, excavated 1940. Panel w recurring wavy border frames a large lozenge w acanthus leaves in a radial pattern of alternating autumnal colours plus 'pistrice' (sea monster) in the corner. In MArTA.
A little over a quarter of central design of a mosaic floor in red, tan, black and white tesserae. Red on white wave pattern has a solid red surround, and a white band with in it. Inside that is a 90 degree offset square band with a pattern in a non-repeating design in all the colours. This contains a circle of dotted red, tan and white tiles, within which are radiating acanthus leaves in alternating red, white tan colours on a black background. And in the corner on a black background is a pestrice - a sea monster.
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Reposted by Becky Wallower
Dr Tess Machling @tessmachling.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Honestly FFS. All context, all organics, anything of any archaeological significance gone. Just like that. But hey, it's shiny, eh? This has to stop. 🤬 This is why: bigbookoftorcs.com/2024/09/11/d... #Archaeology #Detecting #Treasure 🏺
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
#RomanSiteSaturday 🏺 Tuscan Volterra reveals ++centuries of occupation: here C1 BC #Roman theatre cut into side of high hill + 3rd C bath complex built when theatre out of use. Discovered 1950s, theatre featured stunning views, 16m high stage, statues of Augustus+Livia, + seats w local family names.
View from top of hill overlooking Roman theatre and later baths. Discovered 1950s, excavated and rebuilt in 1970s. Now full arena and entries to underground passages are visible, with lower understage sections of the theatre and a rebuilt section to the left with columns defining niches that once held statues. Beyond the theatre is a large colonnaded area which was once part of the theatre complex, where the bath complex was built much later. The arena and other areas are mostly covered in grass. A view from the north, behind the theatre's stage area back towards the seating arena. Stone foundations of the bath complex are seen within a colonnaded area. Nearest the viewer are the caldarium, tepidarium and laconicum, all with evidence of underfloor hypocaust heating system with furnaces. Beyond both baths and theatre, buildings can be seen high above over the city walls.
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
#RomanSiteSaturday 🏺 Tuscan Volterra reveals ++centuries of occupation: here C1 BC #Roman theatre cut into side of high hill + 3rd C bath complex built when theatre out of use. Discovered 1950s, theatre featured stunning views, 16m high stage, statues of Augustus+Livia, + seats w local family names.
View from top of hill overlooking Roman theatre and later baths. Discovered 1950s, excavated and rebuilt in 1970s. Now full arena and entries to underground passages are visible, with lower understage sections of the theatre and a rebuilt section to the left with columns defining niches that once held statues. Beyond the theatre is a large colonnaded area which was once part of the theatre complex, where the bath complex was built much later. The arena and other areas are mostly covered in grass. A view from the north, behind the theatre's stage area back towards the seating arena. Stone foundations of the bath complex are seen within a colonnaded area. Nearest the viewer are the caldarium, tepidarium and laconicum, all with evidence of underfloor hypocaust heating system with furnaces. Beyond both baths and theatre, buildings can be seen high above over the city walls.
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Reposted by Becky Wallower
natsky777 @natsky777.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
#WildOz 🦘 Er...I have an apology to make. I have been unwittingly misgendering the juvenile roo that regularly visits with *his* Mama Roo! A few moments before taking this pic yesterday, there was unmistakable evidence that this is in fact, a male. He's certainly growing up to be quite a big boy!🤫😂
Juvenile male Eastern Grey Kangaroo in foreground, with Mama Roo behind.
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History and Heritage Yorkshire @handhyorkshire.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
🧵In the 1770s, the 4th Earl of Scarborough hired Lanceleot "Capability" Brown to transform the valley surrounding the Cistercian ruins of Roche Abbey into a fashionable, romantic landscape according to contemporary tastes. To create this "Picturesque" scene, Brown made several major changes.
Roche Abbey. Michael D Beckwith, Public Domain
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Reposted by Becky Wallower
Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
#FontsonFriday The Grinling Gibbons white marble font in Christopher Wren's 17th C St James Piccadilly is just very, very beautiful. Adam, Eve and serpent cling to the tree of life that supports the bowl, featuring a relief of baptism of Christ. William Blake was baptised here 11 December 1757.
Luminous white marble very finely carved. Adam and Eve (holding an apple) stand either side of the tree, with its roots extending into the ground forming the base of the font. A serpent winds around the trunk, just at the level of their heads. Leafy branches with fruit hanging from them extend above them, supporting the bowl. In low relief, the scene shown on the bowl is of Christ being baptised, standing nearly up to his knees in water, with John the Baptist standing on the shore trickling water on his head.
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
#FrescoFriday 🏺 Herculaneum HQ of College of the Augustales: society of freedmen dedicated to imperial cult of Augustus. Shrine room likely held statue of emperor on pillar in blind arch w laurel wreath above. On right Hercules + River Achelous in dispute over Deianira. #Roman
Two walls of the shrine room of the College of the Augustales in Herculaneum. On left is a wide shallow arch with a plinth in the centre that once held a statue, which would have been framed by the square painting behind it. Also within the arch are 2 other faint paintings. On either side of the arch are further paintings of decorative objects, and above these are bands of darker paintings with ?animal figures. Above those two more rectangular ones, with architectural features. Another broad painting above the arch has mostly been removed. The background to this wall is an intense bright blue.
The right wall has a red background. The large main image is painted within a painted arch with three figures. To the left are two paintings: the one at the top shows a winged male driving a chariot with two horses. 
The lower part of the image shows bare walls where plaster has been removed. The floor has the remains of opus sectile coloured marble flooring.
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
#FontsonFriday The Grinling Gibbons white marble font in Christopher Wren's 17th C St James Piccadilly is just very, very beautiful. Adam, Eve and serpent cling to the tree of life that supports the bowl, featuring a relief of baptism of Christ. William Blake was baptised here 11 December 1757.
Luminous white marble very finely carved. Adam and Eve (holding an apple) stand either side of the tree, with its roots extending into the ground forming the base of the font. A serpent winds around the trunk, just at the level of their heads. Leafy branches with fruit hanging from them extend above them, supporting the bowl. In low relief, the scene shown on the bowl is of Christ being baptised, standing nearly up to his knees in water, with John the Baptist standing on the shore trickling water on his head.
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
#FrescoFriday 🏺 Herculaneum HQ of College of the Augustales: society of freedmen dedicated to imperial cult of Augustus. Shrine room likely held statue of emperor on pillar in blind arch w laurel wreath above. On right Hercules + River Achelous in dispute over Deianira. #Roman
Two walls of the shrine room of the College of the Augustales in Herculaneum. On left is a wide shallow arch with a plinth in the centre that once held a statue, which would have been framed by the square painting behind it. Also within the arch are 2 other faint paintings. On either side of the arch are further paintings of decorative objects, and above these are bands of darker paintings with ?animal figures. Above those two more rectangular ones, with architectural features. Another broad painting above the arch has mostly been removed. The background to this wall is an intense bright blue.
The right wall has a red background. The large main image is painted within a painted arch with three figures. To the left are two paintings: the one at the top shows a winged male driving a chariot with two horses. 
The lower part of the image shows bare walls where plaster has been removed. The floor has the remains of opus sectile coloured marble flooring.
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Reposted by Becky Wallower
Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
#Woodensday A stern Biblical prophet, w deeply furrowed brow. From ceiling of lavish refurb of Painted Chamber, the King's state bedchamber in Westminster Palace, by Henry III. 1 of 2 wooden panel paintings 1263-64, the earliest surviving in England, only discovered in 1994 - in Bristol! See Alt.
A prophet with curly hair and beard, and a furrowed brow looks to the right of a wooden panel painting. He supports a long white object in his right hand and wears a robe. The right side and corners are partly lost.
This is set in a gilded frame with the story of the panel painted top and bottom. This states that the panel was taken from the old Painted Chamber (of the Palace of Westminster) when it was repaired in 1816, and that it was painted when the room was restored after the Palace was destroyed by fire in the Reign of Henry III 1263. 
It was probably painted by Walter of Durham and his workshop.	
Rediscovered in Bristol in 1993/4, it was acquired by the British Museum in 1995. Probably painted by Walter of Durham and his workshop between circa 1262 and circa 1267.
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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
#Woodensday A stern Biblical prophet, w deeply furrowed brow. From ceiling of lavish refurb of Painted Chamber, the King's state bedchamber in Westminster Palace, by Henry III. 1 of 2 wooden panel paintings 1263-64, the earliest surviving in England, only discovered in 1994 - in Bristol! See Alt.
A prophet with curly hair and beard, and a furrowed brow looks to the right of a wooden panel painting. He supports a long white object in his right hand and wears a robe. The right side and corners are partly lost.
This is set in a gilded frame with the story of the panel painted top and bottom. This states that the panel was taken from the old Painted Chamber (of the Palace of Westminster) when it was repaired in 1816, and that it was painted when the room was restored after the Palace was destroyed by fire in the Reign of Henry III 1263. 
It was probably painted by Walter of Durham and his workshop.	
Rediscovered in Bristol in 1993/4, it was acquired by the British Museum in 1995. Probably painted by Walter of Durham and his workshop between circa 1262 and circa 1267.
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Reposted by Becky Wallower
Daniel C. Blight @danielcblight.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
***URGENT PLEASE SHARE*** University of Brighton management have announced today that they ‘give notice of termination of all collective agreements’. This is a fundamental erasure of workers' rights. Management have announced the termination of all contractual documents, which includes:
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