Amphorae

No takers? Well, it was a hard one when I asked:- "There is a coronation mantle called a Pluviale which was constructed c.1133A.D., features over 100,000 pearls, was worn by more than 47 rulers, and is still in existence today. Who was it originally made for?" The answer was Roger II, and more information about the textile trove, including mantle, shoes, and repair kit, can be found  here . For now here are a few more pictures, just to whet your appetite.

As the school year winds down I look forward to having more time over the summer to blog, but for now will content myself with a new round of trivia. Last time I asked:- "This famous imposter was feted both in Europe and America throughout the 20th century before dying in Charlottesville, VA in 1984." Cassidy correctly guessed that it was Anna Anderson, who asserted that she was the Russian Grand Duchess Anastasia for decades. As her grave is not far from where I live, perhaps I should take a daytrip to see it. For our next trivia question I'll test your knowledge of textiles history. There is a coronation mantle called a Pluviale which was constructed c.1133A.D., features over 100,000 pearls, was worn by more than 47 rulers, and is still in existence today. Who was it originally made for? It's like trivia meets a scavenger hunt, and the result is well worth finding!

Time for more trivia! Last time I asked:- As most of you undoubtedly already know, this week marks the 200th anniversary of the publication of Jane Austen's famous novel "Pride and Prejudice", but, can you name the originally intended title of the book? Bankerchick correctly answered; "First Impressions was her first working title, however she went through several year of rewrites and by the time she was ready to publish, others had published under that title." Next up:- This famous imposter was feted both in Europe and America throughout the 20th century before dying in Charlottesville, VA in 1984. 

There is a new exhibition at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. called Albrecht Dürer: Master Drawings, Watercolors, and Prints from the Albertina.  It contains 91 works by the famous German artist and is presented with considerable assistance from the Albertina in Vienna which has an extensive collection of Durer's masterpieces. The exhibition runs March 24th-June 9th. For more information you can check out   this announcement by the National Gallery.

Perhaps I should consider re-naming this blog "History In the News" for that seems to be most of what I post these days. History certainly does seem to be all around lately; and I am delighted that the violin played by the band leader on board the ill-fated Titanic, yes, the one he famously played as the ship went down, has been authenticated at last. What an incredible piece of history! An inanimate witness to, and part of, a tragically beautiful moment. More on this story here .

My husband's comment when hearing about this story was something along the lines of "They've got dead people all over the place there." Yes, dear, that's what comes of having a long history, and I recall fondly that history is indeed abundant in Merry Old England. Digging for a new rail line has managed to unearth another fascinating and macabre find. More details can be found here .

Apparently these days the place to look for archeological clues is under British car parks! After the recent confirmation of the finding of Richard III's bones in Leicester, another car park, this time in Edinburgh, has yielded more macabre fascination. Find out more about the grave unearthed during construction here.