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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 8h

#FindsFriday Alert and sparky, a 4th C BC red-figured rhyton in the form of a horse's head. From tomb in ancient pre-Roman Peucetian city of Thuriae, one of the largest in Puglia. Excavated 1957, in Monte Sannace displays in Gioia del Colle museum.

A drinking vessel in the shape of a horse's head with a cup-shaped behind it at one end to the left.
It has a handle shown on the bottom of the the cup-shaped section of the vessel, with the head pointed downwards to the right at an angle. Mostly glazed in black, the cup has red-figured warriors with white spears and headbands, and red decoration running round the top and the intersection with the head. The horse has a thin bridle in a yellow-gold colour, a wide open red eye and ears standing up slightly forward.

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

#AdoorableThursday In fact a false door, painted to left of tablinum, in house of local #Pompeii official C. Giulius Polybius w early style facade. As in recent discoveries in the city, owner was in process of upgrading 2C BC property, hence amphorae + heap of lime piled in the corner. #Roman 🏺

A painted door, included in the layout of the tablinium for symmetry. It's actually plaster, showing four panels within a red and white doorframe.
The four panels have the appearance of being on two doors, white with red borders bounded by darker outlines, and three circles on the section dividing upper and lower panels on each one.
A heap of building material and some broken amphorae are shown to the left of the false door.

A view showing the layout of the tablinium and the painted false door. The room has white painted walls with a red border at the top, a large entrance through the facing wall leading to other parts of the site. The painted false door is to the left of this, and an empty doorway is on the right - clearly intended to hold a 'real' door.
Remains of an upper level are also evident, with five window openings in the wall over the doors/entrance.

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

In such a stunning setting - so taken with it, in fact, the view from pass has been my profile banner here, and also since starting in the other place.

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Hooray! Wine harvest comes to fruition in Tuscany this month, as fruit of the vine is decanted into barrels. Seasonal cycles, or Labours of the Month, were a favourite medieval theme. This 13th C series w added zodiac symbols is on Lucca's Cathedral, attributed to the Master of San Martino.

October section of Labours of the Month sculpture on facade of Cathedrale San Martino in Lucca, Tuscany.
A man in a dunic is pouring wine from a large jug into a barrel on a stand. The scene is set under an arch with columns in green marble either side, with symbols for Sagittarius and Scorpio to left and right above them.
Panels of dark green and pink marble are also visible.

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

#TerracottaTuesday Medusa has death in her eyes. She could cast her spell and turn you to stone from both sides of large askos from a 3-2 C BC tomb in Cannae, Puglia. Fine modelling, and the polychrome - especially red lips - would have added to a startling impression. 🏺 #Archaeology Canne Museum

A large terracotta jug (askos) with a spout, and faces of Medusa with wide glaring eyes on either side. traces of polychrome designs are evident on the body of the jug, and also on the face, particularly on red lips.
The citadel of Canne where this was excavated apparently overlooks the site of the 216 BC battle featuring Hannibal, between Romans and Carthiginians. Archaeological evidence hasn't yet confirmed this....

Side view of jug showing faces either side, and a polychrome design with long streaks and curves painted in red, pink, white and blue.

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

#MosaicMonday Very pleasingly designed floor in tepidarium of women's baths in Herculaneum. Feels like a lovely, languid place to catch up with friends.

Geometric mosaic floor with design of trailing lines of black on white tesserae that form right angles and cross to make swastika like patterns. In spaces between trails of tesserae are rectangular panels that feature small images of eg vase, sun/flower, animal.

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Appropriate for #StandingStoneSunday: The Pipers: turned to stone for playing tunes on a Sunday. The Hurlers: 3 stone circles of men who had same fate for playing hurling on Lord's Day. That'll teach 'em. Evocative late Neolithic/early Bronze Age ceremonial landscape on Bodmin Moor. #Archaeology 🏺

Two standing stones in a bumpy green and brown landscape with gorse, boggy bits and lowering stormy sky.

Part of a lichen covered stone circle on green and brown Bodmin Moor. In the background is a pit head building and a hill with a tall transmission tower on top. Lowering storm clouds overhang the view.

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Such charmers! For #Worldsmileday , a C3-4 AD mosaic from the ancient city of Gnathia/Egnazia in Puglia. The Three Graces can't help but smile, representing beauty, mirth and elegance as they do. Excavated from hall of civic basilica, now in local Museo Nazionale “Giuseppe Andreassi” at the site. 🏺

Part of a mosaic in which the Three Graces are portrayed within a circular border on a white background. The border has a repeating leaf pattern in red, within strips of red mosaics.
The first and third of the three women face forward, and the middle one has a hand on each of the others' shoulder, and they have their hands on her shoulders. The outer two women hold flowers. All are smiling at each other.

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

#FindsFriday 🏺 Superb bronze chimera: likely emblem (episema) on C6 BC warrior's shield w lion's head on flame-like mane + scaly fierce snake striking from centre. From high status tomb w arms, tools, ceramics + iron wheels of chariot excavated in Melfi, Basilicata. Melfi Nat Archaeological Museum.

A large thin bronze decoration probably displayed on a 6th C BC warrior's shield. At the top the head of a beast with a stylised lion's head and snout, on a long neck with incised flame-like mane, emerges from a scaly circle. This serves as the body of a fierce snake (which probably wrapped round the lion's body), which extends to the top right with a long head and open mouth, with wing below lower jaw.
The culture in Melfi at the time was in flux, with native Daunian cultures interacting with Lucanians from the north.

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

It is brilliant! Found it really compelling - and telling - on scope and impact of mining. And Ashington Group exhibition is just super.

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

#GlassObjectThursday 🏺 Delicate #Roman blown glass flask with polychrome snake-thread decoration. 3rd C AD. Made in Rhineland, Cologne area. In British Museum

Translucent glass vase with fine rounded body, and remains of small foot. An elegant narrow neck bows out slightly at the top, and is flanked by delicate handles either side, together forming a heart shape. The body is decorated with gold and light blue coloured threads of glass, in irregular swirly patterns

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

#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 · 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 · 28/09/2026

William Fowler painting of the full Horkstow villa #mosaic discovered in 1797 by labourers making a kitchen garden at Horkstow Hall in Lincolnshire. It would have graced a large hall at a very wealthy and sophisticated 4th century #Roman villa. 🏺

Painting of mosaic found in Horkstow, Lincolnshire by labourers clearing area for kitchen garden of Horkstow Hall. It is brightly painted, and shows all three panels discovered at the site. The Orpheus section with animals as shown in post 1/, plus others. Medallions possibly on a Bacchic theme in the centre and the chariot race below (mosaic also in Hull Museum).
The mosaic was left in situ until its removal to the British Museum in 1927. The mosaics, which were transferred to Hull Museum in 1976, are similar in design to those excavated at Brantingham and Winterton and are believed to have been laid by mosaicists from a workshop based at Brough.

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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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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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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

#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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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 · 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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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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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

All newly restored - they + their settings are looking amazing. Lots of info all around islands as well as in new visitor centre. We were all, incl 2x 16 yr olds, utterly engaged. 🏺 Also got into archaeology of the Palace, as per Jonny Gardner's A Contemporary Archaeology of London’s Mega Events:

Cover image of book by Jonathan Gardner: A Contemporary Archaeology of London’s Mega Events. It covers the Crystal Palace at the Great Exhibition and its move in 1854 to Sydenham, where park was named after it. The dinosaurs were part of the attractions for the new building and its programmes.

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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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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 · 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 · 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 · 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 · 12/09/2026

#SarcophagusSaturday Orgiastic scenes w Dionysus in drunken state, in feminine guise + wearing oriental costume. Satyrs, satyresses, fauns + priest join in rural rituals. Wonder what the 2nd C #Roman interred in this got up to in life, or what he hoped for afterwards...? Detail in MANN Naples 🏺

Left end of one side of a marble sarcophagus, with a detailed scene of a rural sanctuary with a host of activities and characters. Faun on the left in orgiastic pose with a herm of pan, as Ariadne lies back in a stupor. Drunken Dionysus supported by two young men to right with torch bearer behind. Symbolic torches and pinecones are dotted about, temple and trees form a backdrop

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

#SteepleSaturday St Nicholas is known as the leaning tower of Gloucester as its once taller spire tilts due to direct hit from Royalist troops in 1643 siege. Perpendicular style windows + blind arches w tracery still v pretty. 12th C, w additional work from 13th C. Now Churches Conservation Trust.

Square tower of church with three decorated stages including windows and blind arches in Perpendicular style with tracery. On top is a truncated spire that leans to the right as a result of a hit by military troops. At its peak is now a pinnacled coronet with a sphere standing higher in the centre on a curved lead base.

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Finally at Gander Airport, onwards journeys, changed lives. But with added good will for the future from a Canadian Mounty. Five days: unreal, incomprehensible and fundamentally human in every detail.

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Passengers returned daily to the church hall for meals, phone, news on screen, updates on likely flights out of Gander. One afternoon locals brought by a moose - roadkill from nearby TransCanada highway - for anyone new to such beasts. On the 5th day we gathered one final time, to go back to Gander.

A dead moose in the back of a pickup truck, its legs hanging out the back. Some people who'd never seen one, were interested to have a look, others were not....

The church hall full of passengers from CO29, gathering for instructions and awaiting transport back to Gander airport. It was the first time we had seen the crew since we disembarked, as they were kept separately in Gander hotels for security reasons.

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Beverlee, UN Human Rights specialist from NY, Reading Uni student Hanifa + her mother Raheema from Kenya, and I were welcomed in by the Pritchetts. 1st priority was to buy spare knickers, as all luggage was on plane and Gambo had sold out. Kevin Pritchett took us to nearby Glovertown and beyond.

Kevin Pritchett with Raheema and Hanifa, who were terrified to go out in public in case of any retribution for horrors of 9/11 towards foreigners.
Kevin wanted to take our minds off it so after taking us to buy underwear (and a lumberjack shirt for me as not dressed for chilly Canadian weather) in Glovertown, then on to Eastport Beach shown here, and beyond...

...then, as he was a boat builder, to Salvage, a fishing village on Bishop's Harbour, where lobster was a big catch, and where we also visited the Salvage Fisherman's Museum.
All entirely surreal.

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

After a second breakfast (first was at airport as only babies allowed food overnight on board plane), watching coverage of the horrors of New York and Washington on big screen installed overnight by parishioners, and queueing for the one phone, we were ALL offered places to stay with a family.

People sitting at long tables, huddled in groups, talking with family members or queuing for the telephone in the church hall.
After arrival in Gambo, 12 September 2001.

The southern edge of Gambo, stretched out along Freshwater Bay, from 'Joey's lookout', the vantage point above the town named for the man who brought Dominion of Newfoundland into the Canadian Confederation, former Premier Joseph R. Smallwood, who was born in Gambo.

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

A 9/11 2001 story Half-way across the Atlantic when C029 was diverted to Gander w 27 other planes. Overnight on board, then sent to Gambo w passengers of 4 other aircraft. Its 1600 people welcomed all the 'come from aways' w huge warmth, kindness, friendship, care. The Catholic church hosted CO29.

28 planes in Gander airport by the end of 11 Sept 2001.

Church hall of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Gambo Newfoundland.
Passengers of Continental Airways flight CO29 disembarking from transport via school bus from Gander airport 12 September 2001. Only hand luggage allowed to be taken off board.

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

#AdoorableThursday #IronworkThursday Selfridges' magnificent #ArtDeco lifts created in bronze + iron by Birmingham Guild: installed in 1929 for 20th anniversary of iconic London department store's opening. Door panels depict signs of the zodiac. Will they reappear in new ‪London Museum‬ Nov 28th??

Image of lift doors closed in surround as installed in the store. Outlines of design, including panels on doors with lively figures representing signs of Zodiac, are set off by lighting from behind. Art Deco style.

Interior of lift from Selfridges, viewed from outside the door. Octagonal panels of flying birds have sunburst pattern extending out towards corners of walls. All in a warm bronze colour. Ceiling is of semi-opaque glass panels, decorated with geometric design, illuminated from above.

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

#ReliefWednesday September has arrived: in Tuscany, the first month of the grape harvest when farmers hop into a tank to crush grapes for must. Medieval labours of the month as on facade of Lucca's Cattedrale di San Martino provide handy guide to what most occupied people thru the year. Plus zodiac.

Depiction of September in the Labours of the Months relief on the facade of Lucca's Cathedral. The figures of the months are set within a succession of elegant small arches supported by small green marble columns. At the impost points of the arches are small medallions containing the corresponding zodiac symbols - for September these are Scorpio and Libra. Below between the columns is the figure of a man with bare legs standing in a raised tank to press grapes. Below the figure is engraved the name of the month, abbreviated to SEPTEB.

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

#ThickTrunkTuesday May have lost a bit of its middle, but an undeniably thickly trunked, several hundred yr old olive tree beside #Roman city/archaeological park of Egnazia. Still thriving, amongst many planted on Puglia's legendary plain of olives c.1000 yrs ago. Archaeology's quite good too.... 🏺

Gnarly old olive tree with hollowed out trunk in late summer leaf.

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

#AllMetalMonday Cottingham lead tank AD 800-950. Possibly [?re] used as baptismal font or holy water tank. Animal motifs alternate w warriors. These can have #Viking and Christian symbolism eg Sigur/St Michael slaying dragon/death and also found on eg stone crosses. Auckland Project's Faith Museum

Sections of a sandy-gold coloured lead tank are displayed, set out in their likely original positions.
Shown on the surface of two sections are triangular relief features (one pointed down, one up). One shows the Viking god Sigurd who stands over a dragon he has just slain. Such figures were also familiar to Christians who often showed the devil as a dragon.
In the other visible panel are two beasts snapping at each other above a larger beast, with snakes around them all.
The tank is c. 40cm in diameter and was found in Cottingham Northants. There are 8 panels in all, alternating human warrior figures with animals.

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

/2 The Siena Duomo rose window as it now appears in situ in the cathedral's museum. It's displayed with some of the sculptures also removed from the Duomo, giving a sense of its 6m diameter scale and drama.

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

From last year's travels in Tuscany one #StainedGlassSunday example stands out hugely: the C13 rose window of Siena Duomo by Duccio di Buoninsegna. Created 1288, moved to Museum of Duomo in 1996 to restore. 6m dia piece can now be seen at close range in its colourful magnificence. /1 More: ALT +/2

Roun, brilliantly coloured stained glass window w 9 scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus, and other saints.
Five of these scenes form a cross, while the other four occupy the ~quarter round sections in the corners of the cross. On the vertical arm is the story of the Virgin with the Coronation, the Assumption and the Burial. On the horizontal arm, from the left, are the patron saints Bartholomew, Ansano, Crescenzio and Savino. In the corner compartments are the four Evangelists with their names and symbols: in the top left St John and in the top right St Matthew; below are St Luke and St Mark.
The colours Duccio used are like those used in his painting, in particular in his works for the altarpiece, which was later dismantled in the 18th C, with some finding their way to other collections and countries. Many are now in the Duomo museum however, and several have been touring major museums, eg in London and NY.
The colours Duccio used in the window are those that feature in his paintings: ruby red, purple, sky blue, yellow, emerald green.
In the post linked to this is a view of the window in situ in the museum, where it's displayed with some of the sculptures removed from the Duomo, giving a sense of scale and drama.
It is seen as a key component in the development of international gothic.

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

#Caturday Can anyone suggest what cat w boots on its left legs is doing on Otranto Cathedral's #medieval mosaic floor? Placed above elephant supporting Tree of Life, it's one of many enigmas in the floor's earthly/Biblical/mystical themes, perhaps only known to monk Pantaleon, its creator in 1165.

A short-tailed cat in various shades of red mosaic tiles, wearing black boots on its left legs, appears above an elephant, also in a variety of red. The figures are on a background of white-ish tiles, and their bodies and all their features are outlined in a single row of black tiles. On the
elephant's back is a brownish blob, which actually depicts the tree of life, supported by the elephant and extending beyond this area 52 meters up the nave of the cathedral (beyond the photo).

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

#FrescoFriday 🏺 Such a delicate and animated deer hunt, painted in situ below ground on plastered stone slab of Lucanian tomb 370-360 BC. One of the remarkable frescos from Andriuolo Necropolis north of Magna Graecia city of Poseidonia, later Roman Paestum. In Paestum museum. Alt for more.

Part of a fresco painted on a stone and plastered slab used as part of a grave. The four sides of the tomb and a roof (sometimes pitched) were prepared and painted in situ below ground.
At the bottom a deep border is in faded red, and at the top three lines - thick, thin, thick - in deep red, serve as an upper border.
The scene between, on a white background, shows a large gold coloured stag leaping away from a naked hunter with a light red shield and gold boots. He has long dark hair pulled to the nape of his neck. Some sort of red strapping fits around his neck and below waist, perhaps holding eg arrows/supporting the shield.
A grey dog in front of the hunter is nipping at the rear of the deer. Two other deer, a stag and a doe are in the background, among a forest of stylised red trees or shrubs.

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Different cover on mine from visit to Bayeux of ?late 1980s, and it doesn't give a scale, but images look the same, printed over 34 and a bit folded pages.

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

#GlassObjectThursday 🏺 Knobbed #Roman beaker of blue glass blown into silver case, possibly from Brindisi, 1st C. May represent special, apparently fashionable, technique described by elder Pliny where openwork designs were cut out of silver casings for glass, 50-100AD. A British Museum favourite.

A bulbous vessel, with a smaller base and curving in slightly to rim at top. It is cased in silver, with oval shapes cut out all round, larger at the wider section than at the more narrow bottom and top. Deep blue glass has been blown into the casing so that cushions of blue glass protrude out through the ovals.

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

#Woodensday Figure of mystery knight @southwarkcathedral.bsky.social. One of oldest wooden effigies in England, c 1280. Likely of de Warenne family, benefactors of priory that preceded cathedral, founded by Wm de Warenne, cousin of William Conqueror + a companion at Battle of Hastings. #tinylion

A carved niche with leaf decoration along its top arch, in a wall: it contains a wooden effigy of a knight with a long, curled moustache. He wears chain mail coif, coat and leggings and his sword rests on his left side. His right leg is tucked under his left, which rests on the back of a small lion.

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

#TilesOnTuesday 360 years ago tomorrow, the 1666 Great Fire of London would begin its rapid spread from the sites of these fire-blackened tin-glazed earthenware floor tiles. Top from Pudding Lane, where fire started, bottom from Botolph Lane just to east. 🏺 #Archaeology London Museum collections

Two square tiles in blue, white, ochre with designs on the diagonal, one with floral motif, one more geometric. Both sooty and cracked by fire.

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Becky Wallower @bwallower.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

#MedievalMonday The Pele Tower in Corbridge Northumberland was built c. 1300 - troubled times in borderlands. Much of masonry is reused sandstone from nearby #Roman town. Tower was a defensive home for vicar of adjacent St Andrew's church until 17th C. It's now a micro bar. Of course it is.

Two storey rectangular tower built of large blocks of sandstone. Narrow windows are visible on the two sides shown. The upper level has angle turrets and a parapet.
It's situated in the churchyard of St Andrew's church in Corbridge, and graves and headstones are visible around the tower, with some of the headstones placed around the bottom of the walls of the pele tower.

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