Winter 2017 Remus In this issue

Get in tune with some musical instruments

Check out some perfect poetry

Find fantastic beasts in the Museum! Welcome

Cover: Stone figure of a wearing full . From Winchester, , about Welcome to Remus! 1375–1425.

Part of a gamelan, an In this issue, learn all about Indonesian musical instrument. Java, 19th century. fantastic beasts, and where Left: Real and fantastic animals. Anonymous engraving made in , c. 1460–1470. you can find them lurking in the Museum. Find out how elaborate prints were used for an early type of karaoke, be inspired to write some poetry, and discover what of the did when they weren’t off fighting. Read about some of the many musical instruments in the collection, become an expert on the

If you want to share marvellous mythical muses your poems, stories, travel journal entries or and build your very own thoughts on your latest historical trip or discovery, lyre with things you can email youngfriends@ britishmuseum.org find at home. For more info about Andrew, Editor of Remus everything to do with being a Young Friend, head over to britishmuseum.org/ youngfriends Fantastic beasts and where to find them Fantastic beasts and where to find them

Magical beasts have always been around Centaur Fantastic – from the legendary centaurs in ancient Centaurs had the top half of a man and the bottom half of a horse-like creature. Greece to the dragons roaming China. beasts and In the Museum, you can see centaurs Whether or not you believe they’re real (we fighting against the (human) Lapiths in where to are definitely in the ‘fingers crossed’ category), some of the from the Parthenon there are hundreds of mythical animals who (an ancient temple in Athens). The story have made their way through history. goes that at a wedding, the centaurs find them stormed in and attempted to kidnap Lapith women. It was only when the Greek hero Because there are so many and drew their origins from Theseus arrived that they were beaten magical creatures in stories similar Greek and Roman and driven away. The most famous centaur from across ages and countries, texts. Alongside real animals was also connected to a number of Greek it would be great to have some such as lions and bears, there heroes – Heracles, Achilles and Jason of sort of guide. Well, these were mythical animals such as the Argonauts were all supposedly taught really existed! A bestiarum unicorns and dragons. by Chiron, a wise centaur known for his vocabulum (or bestiary) is a deep knowledge and skill with medicine. kind of encyclopaedia featuring We’ve compiled a handy descriptions of animals – both bestiary of animals you real and imaginary. In England, can find on Museum they were particularly popular objects – how many have in the 12th and 13th centuries, you heard of?

Basilisk Chimera In Greek the name of this In Homer’s epic poem the Iliad, mythical snake was vasiliskos, he describes the chimera as which meant ‘little king’. The ‘a thing of immortal make, not Roman author Pliny the Elder human, lion-fronted and snake said it was ‘not more than twelve behind, a goat in the middle and fingers in length’ but had a fatal snorting out the breath of the gaze which made anyone that terrible flame of bright fire.’ The looked into its eyes die instantly. one on the print on the left also It was born from an egg laid by has wings! The chimera had an old rooster just before its famous mythological siblings – death on a clear night with a the three-headed dog Cerberus full moon exactly at midnight, so and the three-headed lizard-like sometimes bestiaries described creature known as the Lernaean it as having the head of horrible Hydra. We now use the word rooster! The best way to fight it? ‘chimera’ to mean something Throw a weasel into its lair and that’s made up of different parts. wait for the basilisk to perish!

Can you spot the weasel in this print from 1567? Fantastic beasts and where to find them Fantastic beasts and where to find them

Minotaur The Minotaur was a fearsome creature with the body of a human and the head of a bull. He lived at the centre of the Labyrinth in Crete, a mythical maze built by a man named Daedalus. The Minotaur Griffin would be sent seven boys and seven girls The griffin, with the head and wings from Athens every year as punishment for of an eagle and the body of a lion, was the king, who would meet a horrible fate at frequently associated with royalty and the hands of the monster. Eventually, the depicted in coats of arms. Here, you can see Minotaur was slain by the hero Theseus, a pair of them on candlesticks, made by the which you can see on this Greek amphora. famous potter Josiah Wedgwood in 1790.

Mermaid The original mermaids were probably the ancient Greek Sirens, mythological creatures who had faces of beautiful women, wings and webbed feet. They lured sailors into the sea (and their deaths) with their song. Mermaids as we’d think of them today – human body, fish’s tail – appear in folk tales all around the world, from the Middle East and to Japan and the Caribbean. This drawing was made as an illustration to a book.

Dragon The dragon is a beast famous across the world. In Europe, it was a huge lizard that could breathe fire, with scales running along its back and wings that allowed it to fly. There are countless stories of evil dragons attacking innocent villages, and the happy ending (not for the dragon!) usually had a hero slaying it. In China, the dragon looked like a snake with four legs and symbolised the power of the emperor. The dragon is still considered a symbol of great achievement and good luck in China. The Chinese dragon on this large dish is chasing a flaming pearl! Fantastic beasts and where to find them Fantastic beasts and where to find them

Phoenix Thunderbird A phoenix was a bird that The Thunderbird is a gigantic bird was meant to live forever – from Native American mythology. with a catch! After growing Its name comes from the sound old and frail, the bird would the flap of its wings makes and die and burst into flames, is usually associated with storms rising from its own ashes and rain. Pacific Northwest Coast as a baby bird once again. cultures considered the Thunderbird You probably knew that a creature that symbolised people’s if you’ve read the Harry Sphinx power and strength. This painted Potter books! This print The ancient Greek version of the carved wooden is over from the 1920s shows the sphinx had a head of a woman and a metre tall. bird rising from the flames. the body of a lion, sometimes with the wings of a bird attached to her back, like this marble Roman statue, which might have supported a table. According to myth, the gods Hera and Ares sent her to ancient Thebes where she would pose a riddle to travellers: ‘What being stands on four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon and three at night?’ She would kill those who failed to reply with the right answer.

The Egyptian sphinx usually had the head of a man and was a guardian of sacred temples, like the Great Sphinx in Giza.

Do you know the Unicorn answer to the Sphinx’s You probably know this one! riddle? Answer below Described by Pliny the Elder as ‘the fiercest animal, and… it is impossible to catch one alive,’ the unicorn is a horse-like beast with a long horn protruding from its head. The only way to catch one would be to tame it by luring

it over with a young maiden. The a walking stick. walking a unicorn would then lie down and

elderly person using using person elderly fall asleep on the lap of the girl, ‘three legs’ is like an an like is legs’ ‘three

legs’ an adult, and and adult, an legs’ whereby it could be caught. This

baby crawling, ‘two ‘two crawling, baby golden example is actually a cup

‘Four legs’ is like a a like is legs’ ‘Four – the head comes off so you can a man! man! a

Answer: Answer: drink from it! What’s in a name? What’s in a name?

Did you know? Today, the word ‘muse’ usually means a person who inspires an artist, musician, or writer.

Calliope took her name 6 from the ancient Greek words kallos (beauty) and ops (voice). She was the Muse of eloquence and epic poetry. According to myth, This is a Roman the legendary musician and sarcophagus poet Orpheus was her son. from around AD 200–220. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 These figures are the god Apollo and the godess Athena. What’s in a name?

Museum 1 Polyhymnia is the Muse of Thalia, the Muse of Have you ever wondered why we call sacred poetry and hymns. 3 comedy, usually held a comic mask and a the a ‘museum’? What trumpet which actors Euterpe was the Muse is a museum? Well, as with many things, 2 used in comedies. it all started with the ancient Greeks… of music and song. The Very a-MUSE-ing! Greeks believed she invented an ancient musical Today, a museum is a place where Melpomene was the instrument called aulos that 4 Muse of tragedy. On this Erato (above) was the Muse people from any background can visit, looks a bit like a flute. coin below, she is pictured 7 of lyric and love poetry, a study and enjoy objects and art that holding the tragic mask type of verse accompanied explore our shared and actors wore in one hand by a musical instrument. knowledge. But the word museum Did you know? and a sword in the other. comes from the Greek word According to Greek mythology, Urania took her name from 8 her grandfather, the titan (mouseion). This was a place where the Muses’ mother was the Uranus. She was the Muse of titan Mnemosene whose name Terpsichore’s name literally the ancient Greeks worshipped the 5 means ‘delight in dancing’ astronomy. These days, many Muses, the nine mythological deities literally means ‘memory’. The – she is the Muse of dance observatories around the they believed were the source of all ancient Greeks believed that but is sitting down on this world are named after her. inspiration. The word ‘museum’ is inspiration from the Muses was pot. Her daughters were the a Latin version of ‘mouseion’ – the best way to forget about sad Sirens, who lured sailors with Clio was the Muse of their song and caused them 9 history and was often that’s what we use in English today. things happening in their lives! to shipwreck on their island. depicted holding a book. Dressed to kill Dressed to kill

Dressed to kill Here’s what a knight from around () 1300 would have worn into battle.

In the last issue of Remus, the Mail neck guard () ruthless Romans had some Bascinet (helmet) pretty spectacular armour to Sword A bascinet was the first type of Knights would usually wear shirt show off in battle. This helmet worn by knights when mail to protect the front of their time we’re taking a Hauberk they began to wear full plated body. Chainmail or the hauberk look at warriors with armour. It was usually made of was made like an aventail and iron. This one could be attached could be very heavy to wear, an honourable to a back plate through a hole in but it made all the difference reputation – European the bottom. Knights often wore between life and death in battle! medieval knights! a mail neck guard, or aventail, underneath their helmet.

Aventail (mail neck guard) During the Middle Ages This mail neck guard was (around AD 400 to the end made by linking together of the 15th century) knights hundreds of small metal fought to defend their lord and rings to form a mesh. Mail his land, usually on horseback. was good for defence but was Over the centuries, and as very expensive as it took a long weapons changed, they wore all time to produce. Wearing an Sword sorts of different armour. aventail kept the knight’s neck Knights generally preferred to and shoulders safe in battle. Mail fight with swords. A ‘knightly By around the year 1300, knights neck guards allowed knights to sword’ like this one was very followed a code of conduct known move freely. popular with knights of the as chivalry. This meant they Middle Ages. These steel swords promised to be humble, courteous had a double-edged blade and brave. Many poems and and a blunt point. This one is other works were written about decorated with gold wire and chivalrous knights – like King although it has an inscription How does a medieval Arthur and his knights. In return for Did you know? we don’t know what it says! knight’s armour compare service, knights received Chivalry literally to the armour you’ve read land and higher status in society. means horsemanship, about before in Remus? from the Old French Use this score sheet Gauntlets Knights would also take part in Gauntlets are metal gloves word chevalier below to keep track of tournaments, where there would that were made to protect the your ratings! be contests to win prizes. The most (horseman, knight). knight’s hands. They are made popular was the joust, where two The French word of iron shaped to the fingers Agility = /10 knights would charge at each other chevalier originally and lined with leather so Comfort = /10 with blunt wooden lances, trying meant a man of noble that knights could move their to unhorse their opponent. In the ancestry who will ride Protection = /10 fingers. Gauntlets were one mêlée, hundreds of knights fought Looking good = /10 of the last things a knight one another at once. The last a war horse and wear would put on when getting knight standing was the winner! arms in battle. Total = /40 dressed for battle. Rhyme time! Rhyme time!

Rhyme time! 2

OK, not all poems rhyme. But some do! You might have The Burden of Nineveh by heard of the poet John Keats who saw various Greek Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1822–1888) antiquities in the Museum and wrote Ode on a Grecian Urn. Or that the statue of Ramesses II in Room 4 motivated At over 4 metres tall, the Assyrian winged bulls – known as lamassu – are some of the largest objects in the Museum. Shelley to write Ozymandias. Here are a few other poems They once stood either side of a gateway in a king’s palace that were inspired by objects in the collection. and arrived at the Museum in 1852. Rossetti’s poem begins with a visit to the Museum to look at Greek art, but he is sidetracked on his way out by a lamassu being hoisted up the steps. In a fun section of the poem, he imagines that future

archaeologists might dig them up and think that they were Lamassu of Ashurnasirpal 1 originally made in ! II. A colossal human-headed winged lion from the North Sighing, I turned at last to win, West Palace at Kalhu. Neo- The Benin Bronzes by Assyrian, 865–860 BC. George the Poet (b. 1991) Once more the London dirt and din; And as I made the swing-door spin, In 2015 George the Poet took up our Huge History Lesson And issued, they were hoisting in, challenge to investigate and get inspired by a Museum A wing-èd beast from Nineveh. object. George’s poem tells the story of the Benin bronzes, a series of plaques depicting the Benin court following A human face the creature wore, Europe’s first contact with West Africa in the 15th century. And hoofs behind and hoofs before, And flanks with dark runes fretted o’er. For example, the Oba, as he was called, ’Twas bull, ’twas mitred minotaur Hosted European subjects, who were utterly enthralled By the organisation of Benin society. No inner rivalry or impropriety.

One of the Benin Bronzes. You can see George performing his A lamassu on the steps from poem on the Museum’s YouTube channel. The Illustrated London News, 28 February 1852 – exactly the Visit youtube.com/britishmuseum scene that inspired Rosetti. and search ‘George the Poet’. Rhyme time! Rhyme time!

3 5

Inscribed on a Mummy Case Homage to the British Museum by by Edward Carpenter (1844–1929) William Empson (1906–1984

In Room 62, there is a coffin decorated in gold leaf Since its arrival at the Museum in 1911, the small wooden with a painted wooden portrait of a Greek youth named Polynesian sculpture of the Pacific god A’a has been a Artemidorus. On it, the Greek inscription translates as ‘O source of fascination and inspiration to artists, poets and Artemidorus, Farewell’. This captivated the poet-philosopher others across the world. In 1932 poet William Empson wrote Edward Carpenter, who wrote this moving elegy – a serious a poem about A’a and the Museum, suggesting the figure poem, usually about someone who has died. The first line is could be seen as a god for the British Museum itself. ‘Artemidorus, Farewell’… There is a supreme God in the ethnological section; They wrap the sacred linen o’er thy head, A hollow toad shape, faced with a blank shield... Thy features and thy hair they cover up, His smooth wood creeps with all the creeds of the world... And round thy arms thy fingers and thy hands grant his reign over the entire building. They wind and wind and wind and wind the bands, And I shall see thee nevermore, my own. And then they’ll paint Thy likeness on the outer mummy case.

Coffin of a Greek youth called Artemidorus. Hawara, Egypt, Roman Egypt, 2nd century AD.

4 The Botanic Garden by OK, now it’s your turn! Erasmus Darwin (1731–1802) If you’ve been inspired by an object in the The is in fact a Roman glass vessel from Museum, write your own 2,000 years ago. It’s named after its former owner, the Duchess of Portland. It is perhaps best known for inspiring poem and send it in to the work of potter Josiah Wedgwood. In 1791 Wedgwood youngfriends@ sent a copy of the vase to his friend, the botanist and britishmuseum.org poet Erasmus Darwin (grandfather of the more famous Charles!). Darwin wrote a poem that was illustrated by William Blake. The verse helped to bring the vase to a wider public.

Over the fine forms of Portland’s mystic urn, Here by the fallen columns and disjoined arcades, Standing casket figure of The Portland Vase. the god A’a. Rurutu, Austral On mouldering stones beneath deciduous shades, Probably made in Islands, French Polynesia, Sits humankind in hieroglyphic state. Rome, c. AD 1–25. 16th–17th century. Making a good impression

This brilliant print of Jesus Christ was created using Making a good just a single line! It starts at the tip of Christ’s nose impression and spirals from the middle outwards. It was made in 1649 by French printmaker Claude Mellan. He made the Have you ever wondered what people did before width of the line thicker to photography? Artists could only do so much – paintings change the tone and make features like the eyes and would take ages to produce and they could only owned nose stand out. Impressive, by those wealthy enough to afford them. That’s where right? That was the point – it was to show people how printmaking comes in. The process meant you could good he was so he would reproduce images many times – called impressions. get more work.

400 years of prints In Europe, the first prints on paper were made in the 15th century. The method stayed essentially the same for a whopping 400 years! When photography came along in the 19th century, printmaking began to decline.

How do you make a print? The second way of making prints was There were two ways of creating prints at by using a copper plate. The plate was the height of printmaking. The first was engraved and inked by hand, with the woodblock printing. A design was carved surface then wiped clean. The ink left was into a piece of wood, leaving the lines of the transferred by great pressure through a design standing out – called ‘’. Blocks rolling press onto a sheet of damp paper. were inked and stamped onto paper. The Printmakers were incredibly skilled and design is reversed when printed, so artists engraving a copper plate like the one would draw and cut the design on the opposite of Jesus Christ could take more block in reverse, as you can see in these than a year! two images – the drawing on the left, the finished print on the right. Making a good impression Making a good impression

What were prints for? Sing it out Prints had lots of different uses – from news, At the bottom left are the words music sheets and illustrations to maps, manuals and music of a simple song in which and cheap prints sold by tradesmen to advertise the singer declares how happy he their goods on the streets. Because you could is with life while he plays a song on make many copies from one block, they were his bagpipes. This print was probably relatively cheap… but not always! pasted to the wall of a bar for use by a singer and an instrumentalist. A kind of early version of karaoke? Maybe! Play the game The game of the goose was the most popular board game in France. The rules are printed in the centre, and you threw a dice to progress up and down the numbered squares. At the bottom right is printed a warning: ‘If you do not pay up you can rest in the grave’. Eek! A collector’s item For centuries this print by Dutch engraver Lucas van Leyden was so rare it became the most expensive print in the world! Only 11 impressions are still around today, and it was so famous that it was given its own nickname, the ‘Eulenspiegel’*, from the owl perched on the shoulder of the child. The artist Rembrandt even bought an impression of it at auction for a record price.

* ‘Till Eulenspiegel’ was a trickster figure in Germanic folklore, and Eulenspiegel literally means ‘Owl mirror’, sometimes translated as ‘Owlglass’. Reflect on that…

Get with the times Fake news? A ‘watch-paper’ was a print The execution of Charles I in 1649 placed inside a pocket watch was sensational news and travelled – this was usually a print of immediately around Europe. The English heroes or famous only problem was that no drawings actors that people wanted to were available and there was no keep close and admire! These time to send an artist to London. were the phone cases of their In this case, the engraver had to day, protecting people’s pocket imagine the scene from a written watches whilst also showing text, and publishers all began a picture of their favourite to copy each other. This is why celebrity. news broadsides are hardly ever accurate – the scene in Whitehall was probably not like this at all. What do you do all day? What do you do all day?

What do you do all day?

Rosie Weetch is a project curator, currently working on the exhibition Living with gods: peoples, places and worlds beyond. She Left: The also worked on the Celts exhibition and the . and Europe Gallery (Room 41).

What’s a typical day at work What can you tell us about the What’s the most exciting thing If you could go back in time Do you have a favourite for a project curator? new exhibition at the Museum? you’ve done at the Museum? to any place or time, where object in the Museum? There really is no such thing This exhibition is quite different When I was working on the would you choose and why? It has to be the Fuller brooch. as a typical day when you from any other we have done. Celts exhibition we were very That’s easy – I would travel to This is a piece of silver Anglo- are working on an exhibition! Instead of focusing on a particular lucky that the National Museum the workshop of the master Saxon jewellery decorated with At the beginning most of my culture or country, it explores of Denmark agreed to lend us carver who created the Franks figures acting out the five senses time is spent researching and how people have expressed the Gundestrup cauldron – Casket. This is an Anglo-Saxon – sight, touch, taste, smell and selecting the objects to go in their religious beliefs – around a massive decorated silver box made from whale bone that hearing. It looked so good that the exhibition. Then we begin to the world and over thousands vessel dating to the 1st century is intricately decorated with all when it was first discovered work with designers to decide of years. It is a new and exciting BC. Watching the couriers sorts of historical, biblical and people thought it was a fake. what the space is going to look way to present ideas and means unpack it when it arrived and mythical scenes, like the story Luckily, scientists proved it was like. Once we figure that out we we are bringing objects together getting a glimpse of it for the of Romulus and Remus being a genuine piece of Anglo-Saxon write up the labels that you see from across the globe. There will first time was a real spine- raised by wolves. There is one art. It holds a special place for me in front of the objects. Finally we also be a BBC Radio4 series tingling moment for me! panel that still remains a mystery because I studied it at university 1 4 install the exhibition, which is that explores the themes in the today. It depicts a lost Anglo- and it’s now on display in the first my favourite time on a project – exhibition, which is quite exciting! Saxon legend that we don’t British Museum gallery I ever 2 that’s when you really see all the recognise. I would ask the artist worked on. hard work coming together. to explain it to me. You can try and figure it out for yourself 3 5 in the Sutton Hoo and Europe Gallery (Room 41)!

The 9th-century 1. Taste Fuller Brooch 2. Sight You can visit the exhibition Living with Its decoration is the 3. Hearing earliest personification 4. Smell gods: peoples, places and worlds beyond of the 5 senses: 5. Touch Right: The (until 8 April 2018) at the British Museum. Gundestrup Supported by the Genesis Foundation. Cauldron. With grateful thanks to John Studzinski CBE. Making music!

Making music!

What do a gourd, a shell and an elephant tusk all have in common? Well, apart from all being found here in the Museum they are also all objects that have been transformed into instruments!

Music exists in every culture in the world. Wherever you go you’ll find people singing, clapping and using the objects around them to create rhythms and tunes. Ancient civilisations all seem to have had their own forms of music, from ancient Egyptian harps to rattles made by Canada’s First Peoples. Wherever we find humans, we find music.

Can you guess what the first musical The human body was probably instrument was? It’s something every the first way humans made music single human has… to entertain themselves. In this painted rock art from South Africa, It’s the human voice! Try it yourself we can see a group of 15 people – how many different sounds can gathered around an antelope you make with your voice? You can clapping and dancing to their very sing and click and pop and hum, just own human-made music. moving your mouth and vocal cords. Imagine being the first person in history to discover that – you probably would have given yourself a fright!

Musical instruments can be divided into four different groups based on the way they make a noise. Turn the page to We haven’t changed that much today – this photo of the group discover a few examples from Kabantu performing in the each group that you can find in Museum was taken around the Museum’s collection. 2,000 years later! Making music! Making music!

Type 1 Type 2 Idiophones These ancient Membranophones An idiophone makes sound by Egyptian clappers These instruments make their shaking, plucking, scraping or hitting are idiophones. Your sound by vibrating a membrane own hands clapping the body of the instrument itself. could be called an – like a skin – that is stretched idiophone too! across them. These are usually drums you play by beating them with your hands or sticks.

Some of the oldest idiophones in the Museum are rock gongs, which can Rattles are a great be thousands of years old! They are example of an idiophone. struck with smaller stones to create This one made by Native a ringing sound. North American people is This 18th-century drum was This drum, called a damaru, made from leather, wood, made by the Akan people is from Tibet and is used in Rock gongs don’t rot away or seeds, fur and feathers. corrode, so they can still be used in Ghana. It’s made of wood religious ceremonies. You spin today. If you’re wondering what one with a stretched deer skin the instrument and allow the sounds like, you can watch a modern on top. It travelled to Virginia strings to strike the small drums. rock drummer have a go on YouTube. in what is now the USA, Damarus are made from a variety Visit youtube.com/britishmuseum possibly on a slave ship. of materials including metal and and search for ‘rock gong’. wood. This one is made from a human skull.

This drum from North A traditional gamelan Africa is double-headed. orchestra from Indonesia is Would it give your family a whole set of idiophones, double the headache when from gongs to xylophones. you played it? Making music! Making music!

Type 3 This triton shell belonged to the Type 4 Aerophones kings of Mangaia, in Polynesia. Chordophones If the king blew this instrument Aerophones produce sound (called a ‘brora kiau’), the leading Chordophones make by making a column of air men would gather and prepare sound by making strings vibrate. Here are a few from for war. vibrate – either with strings the Museum’s collection. stretched over a hollow sound box, or with strings hidden behind keys.

Lyres were popular in the ancient world. The In Greek myth, a satyr* picked up the Museum has many lyres – flute after the goddess Athena threw ancient Greek, Anglo-Saxon it away because she thought playing and even one from the ancient it made her look ugly! You can see a city of Ur (now in Iraq). The one double aulos being played on this on the right was probably made detail of an ancient Greek vase. in Sudan around 100 years ago and has coins, charms *a party animal/god that was a man with a horse’s and beads on the frame. It was ears and tail! played by a spiritual healer at important occasions such as weddings and at ceremonies to calm restless spirits.

This strange-looking instrument is called a citole – a kind of medieval The three instruments on This trumpet from Tibet guitar. At some point it was the left come from different is taller than an average intricately carved and somebody places, but look similar. human – try playing that tried to turn it into a violin! Didgeridoos have been without falling over! around for more than 1,500 years in Australia (possibly This vuvuzela was from the a lot longer) and are still 2010 football World Cup in The harpsichord used today. This one is South Africa. It’s very loud! Fancy making was also a chordophone. made of bamboo. a lyre yourself? Here’s a drawing from Didgeridoo Tibetan Vuvuzela Turn the page the collection of a young trumpet to see how! Mozart playing one! Make your own music! Mystery object

Make your Mystery object own music! You will need: In the last issue of Remus, we told you that • A cereal box monks in Tibet and China were never late Use simple materials that you • 4 large elastic bands thanks to this object – but what was it? probably already have at home • 4 pieces of string to make a lyre and who knows • 4 A4 sheets of paper – maybe yours will end up in the • Sticky tape What a great guess! • Scissors This object is actually British Museum some day! a conch trumpet that was used to call the Buddhist monks to services at their temple. Avril (8) says: ‘I think It’s made of a large the mystery object is seashell (or a conch). a schedule. I think the It’s decorated with object can hold a piece an elaborate copper of paper or cloth that has dragon whose scales a schedule written on it are made of bright so the monks can always semi-precious stones. be on time. I really like Imagine this waking you your magazine!’ up on a school day!

Cut a square hole into Stretch the elastic Roll up your sheets of 1 one side of your cereal 2 bands over the hole 3 paper into tubes and box (get an adult to then use sticky tape to help you with this bit) hold them in place So, what’s the mystery object this time?

Here’s a clue: It’s 30cm tall and you can shake it over your food to make it tasty!

Email your answer to [email protected] or send it to: Use your paper rolls Tie your strings to the Play music on your 4 and sticky tape to 5 top of the arch and sticky 6 very own lyre! You can Young Friends make an arch on one tape them to the cereal even paint it to look The British Museum Friends side of the cereal box box so that they line up like wood or metal. Great Russell Street over the elastic bands with the elastic bands London WC1B 3DG What have you learnt?

Every reasonable effort has been made to seek appropriate permission for What have material used in Remus. All information correct at time of print.

£2 where sold. Free for Young Friends you learnt? of the British Museum.

The British Museum Friends is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee which exists to support the British Museum.

Registered charity number 1086080 Company registration number 04133346 How much can you Quiz remember of this issue time! of Remus? No cheating!

1. What was the name 6. What do the figures of the code of conduct on the Fuller brooch for medieval knights? represent?

2. Who was the ancient 7. What were the two main Greek muse of comedy? ways of making a print?

3. What Pacific god inspired 8. What’s the answer to the poet William Empson? the riddle of the sphinx?

4. Which Greek hero 9. Which titan was the defeated the centaurs? grandfather of the muses?

5. Oboes, clarinets and flutes 10. In the Middle Ages, what are all types of what kind would a medieval knight of musical instrument? have called his glove?

How many did you get right? The British Museum Friends Great Russell Street

London WC1B 3DG

in the magazine! the in britishmuseum.org

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