London Past Papers The British Museum Flashcards
(181 cards)
1
Q
From which century does the Mildenhall Treasure date?
A
Fourth century AD
The Mildenhall Treasure is a large hoard of 34 masterpieces of Roman silver tableware from thefourth century AD, and by far the most valuable Roman objects artistically and by weight of bullion in Britain. It was found at West Row, near Mildenhall, Suffolk, in 1942.
2
Q
a) In approximately which year was
Gebelein Man buried?
b) How did he probably die?
A
a) He was buried in about 3500 BC (if not earlier) at the site of Gebelein in Upper Egypt.
b) Stabbed in the back
3
Q
What is the family relationship between Assyrian kings Sargon and Ashurbanipal?
A
Sargon II’s three immediate successors; Sennacherib, Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal
Making Sargon II Ashurbanipal’s great grandfather
4
Q
What name is given to the form of ceramic decoration, developed in China during the Tang Dynasty, in which colouring agents are
added to a low-fired lead-based glaze to give a polychrome effect?
A
Tang sancai– ‘egg and spinach’
The origins of Tang sancai – polychrome lead-glazed decorated Tang dynasty pottery – were in the northern Chinese cities of Shaanxi and Loyang and for the most part the process used varying shades of yellow, green and white, earning the nickname ‘egg and spinach’ in the west, although other colours were used.
5
Q
Name the Director of the British Museum.
A
Dr Nicholas Cullinan OBE
Dr Nicholas Cullinan OBE, Director of the British Museum.
6
Q
Which Frenchman published a paper on the decipherment of the Rosetta Stone in 1822?
A
Jean-François Champollion, also known as Champollion le jeune (the Younger), was a French philologist and orientalist, known primarily as the decipherer of Egyptian hieroglyphs and a founding figure in the field of Egyptology.
7
Q
In which Assyrian city was Ashurbanipal’s palace, where the lion hunt reliefs were created?
A
City of Nineveh
Nineveh (in the north of present-day Iraq)
8
Q
What name was given to the former King’s Library when it was reopened in 2003?
A
The King’s Library is now the Enlightenment Gallery?
9
Q
What rules apply if you are asked to guide Rooms 62 and 63 ‘Egyptian death and afterlife’?
A
Tour groups are not permitted in Rooms 61, 62 or 63 due to the number of visitors and space restrictions.
10
Q
Which object carries the inscription: ‘a decree passed by a council of priests, one of a series that affirm the royal cult of the 13 year-old Ptolemy V’?
A
The Rosetta Stone
11
Q
What is the largest size of group you may take to the Museum without booking?
A
Tour groups of 10 people or more must book their visit at least seven days in advance at
britishmuseum.org/groups.
Groups without an advance booking may be denied immediate entry.
12
Q
From which material are almost all the Lewis Chessmen carved?
A
Walrus ivory
13
Q
Which empire governed Athens at the time Lord Elgin removed the sculptures?
A
Ottoman Empire
14
Q
What did Gordon Butcher find whilst ploughing a field in 1942?
A
The Mildenhall Treasure
15
Q
Name the poem Shelley wrote when he heard that the British Museum had acquired a bust of Rameses II.
A
Ozymandias
Shelley’s poem ‘Ozymandias’ is a meditation not on imperial grandeur, but on the transience of earthly power, and in it Ramesses’ statue becomes a symbol of the futility of all human achievement.
16
Q
Which Italian circus strong-man
transported the head of
Ramesses II back to London?
A
Giovanni Battista Belzoni,
aka The Great Belzoni
17
Q
Who was King of Assyria 668-627BC?
A
Ashurbanipal
Ashurbanipal (flourished 7th century bce) was the last of the great kings of Assyria (reigned 668 to 627 bce), who assembled in Nineveh the first systematically organized library in Mesopotamia and the ancient Middle East.
18
Q
Until what time is much of the British Museum open on Fridays?
A
On Fridays the Museum is open until 20.30 (last entry at 20.15).
19
Q
What was the name of the woman who donated Sutton Hoo to the National Trust?
A
Edith May Pretty
20
Q
What was Easter Island called before it was ‘discovered’ by European sailors in 1722?
A
Rapa Nui
The name Easter Island originated with the European explorer Jacob Roggeveen, who first saw the island on Easter Sunday, 1722. Today, the Easter Islanders call themselves and their homeland Rapa Nui.
21
Q
Two tube stations are located 500m from the front entrance of the Museum? Which ones?
A
The nearest London Underground stations are;
Holborn, a five-minute walk away,
and
Tottenham Court Road, a two-minute walk away.
22
Q
Name the firm of architects which
designed the Great Court, which
opened in 2000.
A
Foster and Partners
Designed by Foster and Partners, the Great Court is a two-acre space enclosed by a spectacular glass roof with the world-famous Reading Room in the middle.
23
Q
Which TWO languages are displayed on the Rosetta Stone?
A
(i) Ancient Egyptian
(ii) Ancient Greek
The inscriptions on the Rosetta Stone are in two languages, Ancient Egyptian and Ancient Greek, and three writing systems, hieroglyphs, demotic script (a cursive form of Egyptian hieroglyphs), and the Greek alphabet, which provided a key to the translation of the Egyptian hieroglyphic writing.
24
Q
In which English county was the Sutton Hoo treasure discovered?
A
Suffolk
Sutton Hoo is the site of two Anglo-Saxon cemeteries dating from the 6th to 7th centuries near Woodbridge, Suffolk, England. Archaeologists have been excavating the area since 1938, when an undisturbed ship burial containing a wealth of Anglo-Saxon artifacts was discovered.
25
Residents of Rapa Nui (Easter
Island) recently petitioned the
British Museum for the return of
the Hoa Hakananai’a statue. In
which ocean is Easter Island?
southeastern Pacific Ocean
Easter Island, a territory of Chile, is located in the southeastern Pacific Ocean about 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) west of the Chilean mainland.
26
Name the author, more commonly
known for children’s fiction, who
wrote an account of the discovery
of the Mildenhall Treasure.
Roald Dahl
27
Name the physician whose
collection of 71,000 objects
became part of the foundation of
the British Museum after his
death in 1753.
Sir Hans Sloane
A physician by trade, Sir Hans Sloane was also a collector of objects from around the world. By his death in 1753 he had collected more than 71,000 items. Sloane bequeathed his collection to the nation in his will on condition £20,000 was paid to his heirs and it became the founding collection of the British Museum.
28
What story is told on the East Pediment of the Parthenon?
The east pediment of the Parthenon showed the birth of goddess Athena from the head of her father Zeus. The sculptures that represented the actual scene are lost.
29
What is the Portland Vase made of?
Glass
The Portland Vase is a Roman cameo glass vase, which is dated between AD 1 and AD 25, though low BC dates have some scholarly support.
It is the best known piece of Roman cameo glass and has served as an inspiration to many glass and porcelain makers from about the beginning of the 18th century onwards. It was first recorded in Rome in 1600–1601, and since 1810 has been in the British Museum in London. The museum held it on loan from the dukes of Portland until 1945, and bought it from them that year. It is normally on display in Room 70.
30
Who bequeathed the Holy Thorn Reliquary to the British Museum in 1898?
Baron Ferdinand Rothschild
This superb collection of nearly 300 medieval and Renaissance masterpieces was bequeathed to the British Museum by Baron Ferdinand Rothschild in 1898.
31
Name the poet whose poem
‘Ozymandias’ was inspired by the
arrival of the statue of Rameses II
in 1817.
"Ozymandias" is a sonnet written by the English Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. It was first published in the 11 January 1818 issue of The Examiner of London.
32
Name the ancient copper mine
near the site where the Mold Gold
Cape was found.
The Mold Cape was buried only a matter of miles away from the largest Bronze Age copper mine in northwest Europe, the Great Orme.
33
How many days does it take to mummify a body?
The mummification process took seventy days. Special priests worked as embalmers, treating and wrapping the body. Beyond knowing the correct rituals and prayers to be performed at various stages, the priests also needed a detailed knowledge of human anatomy.
34
Name the special type of glassware in the Sutton Hoo clasps.
The rectangular plate contains a central panel of fifteen cloisonné cells filled alternately with millefiori glass and garnets.
35
With which cult is Hoa
Hakananai’a statue associated?
Tangata manu, or birdman religion
Hoa Hakananai'a (meaning 'lost, hidden, or stolen friend') is carved from basalt and dates from about 1000–1200. The back of the statue features intricate petroglyphs associated with the tangata manu, or birdman religion.
36
Where in Egypt was the head and body of Ramesses II statue found?
The statue was found in the Ramesseum (Thebes)
37
Name the Greek tribe who are
shown battling the centaurs on
the Parthenon metopes.
Lapiths
38
How did the government raise the
money needed to purchase Hans
Sloane’s collection?
A national lottery
In his will, Sloane bequeathed his entire collection to King George II for the nation in return for the payment of £20,000 to his heirs, and on condition that Parliament create a new and freely accessible public museum to house it.
Parliament accepted Sloane's terms, raising the money through a national lottery and on 7 June 1753, an Act of Parliament establishing the British Museum received royal assent.
39
Name the building in which the
collection was housed when it first
opened to the public.
Montagu House
The museum's collections were first housed in a 17th-century mansion, Montagu House, which was extensively refurbished before it opened to the public in 1759.
40
What does Hoa Hakananai’a mean?
Hoa Hakananai'a (meaning 'lost, hidden, or stolen friend') is carved from basalt and dates from about 1000–1200.
41
What is the Egyptian name of the
village which gave the Rosetta
Stone its name?
In July 1799, the stone was found in the city of Rosetta by French soldiers during Napoleon's invasion of Egypt. Rosetta was located on a tributary of the Nile near the Mediterranean coast east of Alexandria.
Rosetta is now known as el Rashid
42
Name the brother of the goddess Athena.
brother Ares
Athena represented the disciplined, strategic side of war, in contrast to her brother Ares, the patron of violence, bloodlust, and slaughter—"the raw force of war".
43
Name the type of stone from which the statue of Rameses II was carved.
Granite
Upper part of a red granite colossal statue of Ramses II: the middle part of the statue has not been found, and the left elbow is broken.
44
In which year was the Parthenon
partially destroyed by a gunpowder explosion?
1687
On September 26, 1687, the Parthenon of Acropolis in Athens faced a severe blow and was partly destroyed by Francesco Morosini, the leader of the Venetian army, who, as part of the Morean War, led an expedition to attack the Ottomans in Athens.
45
Name the period of discovery and
learning which took place between
1680 and 1820.
The Enlightenment is the name given to a period of discovery and learning that flourished among Europeans and Americans from about 1680–1820, changing the way they viewed the world.
46
In which year
(i) was the British Museum
established?
(ii) did it open its doors?
(i) 1753
(ii) 1759
Founded in 1753, the British Museum opened its doors to visitors in 1759. The Museum tells the story of human cultural achievement through its collections.
47
In which year were the Lewis Chessmen discovered?
1831
48
Where was Rameses II buried?
Upon his death, he was buried in a tomb (KV7) in the Valley of the Kings; his body was later moved to the Royal Cache, where it was discovered by archaeologists in 1881. Ramesses' mummy is now on display at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, located in the city of Cairo.
49
Name the city in modern day Iraq
which is near the ancient Assyrian
citadel of Khorsabad.
The city of Dûr-Sharrukin, modern-day Khorsabad, is situated in the north of Iraq, around 15km from Mosul.
50
How much does it cost a visitor to leave a coat in the cloakroom?
The cloakroom is charged per-item:
Coats – £2
Bags up to 4kg – £2.50
Bags 4–8kg – £5
Umbrellas – £1
Fold-up pushchairs – free
Members can use the cloakroom free of charge. The same restrictions apply.
51
What is the subject of the East Pediment of the Parthenon Sculptures?
The birth of Athena
The ancient travel writer Pausanias tells us that the subject of the East Pediment is the birth of Athena, since the damage done to the Parthenon before 1674 makes it impossible to tell from the sculpture that remains.
52
One sentence to describe the Assyrian Lion Hunt
They show a formalized ritual "hunt" by King Ashurbanipal (reigned 669–631 BC) in an arena, where captured Asian lions were released from cages for the king to slaughter with arrows, spears, or his sword. They were made about 645–635 BC.
53
One sentence to describe the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
The Mausoleum of Halikarnassos is an elaborate, magnificent tomb built for a king. The Mausoleum, which was regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, is so impressive that the word 'mausoleum' is now used for many monumental tombs.
54
One sentence to describe the Mildenhall Treasure
The Mildenhall Treasure is a large hoard of 34 masterpieces of Roman silver tableware from the fourth century AD, and by far the most valuable Roman objects artistically and by weight of bullion in Britain. It may have been found at West Row, near Mildenhall, Suffolk, in 1942. It consists of over thirty items and includes the Great Dish which weighs over 8 kg (18 lb).
55
One sentence to describe the Portland Vase
The Portland Vase is a Roman cameo glass vase, which is dated between AD 1 and AD 25, though low BC dates have some scholarly support.
It is the best known piece of Roman cameo glass and has served as an inspiration to many glass and porcelain makers from about the beginning of the 18th century onwards. It was first recorded in Rome in 1600–1601, and since 1810 has been in the British Museum in London.
56
Where in the galleries is the Percival David Collection of Chinese ceramics?
Room 95 - Sir Joseph Hotung Centre for Ceramic Studies
57
Where are the Africa Galleries?
Room 25
58
Where are the Egyptian mummies?
Rooms 62 and 63
59
What are the British Museum's opening hours?
Opening hours are;
Daily 10.00 - 17.00
Fridays 10:00 - 20.30
Last entry: 16.45 (Fridays: 20.15)
60
What are the British Museum's rules regarding photography?
Hand-held flash photography and video recording is allowed in most galleries for private purposes only.
Signs will indicate where photography is restricted.
Tripods, monopods and selfie sticks may not be used inside the Museum building.
61
What are the groups welcome procedure?
Tour groups of 10 people or more must book their visit at least seven days in advance at
britishmuseum.org/groups. Groups without an advance booking may be denied immediate entry.
On arrival, please go to the Montague Place entrance where a uniformed member of Museum staff will welcome you.
Please ask coach drivers to turn their engines off when parked outside the Museum.
Please note that our authorised staff may search your group’s bags when you enter the Museum, particularly at times of heightened security.
You are responsible for the behaviour of your group at all times.
No microphones or voice amplifiers permitted.
62
What are the guiding protocols in the British Museum?
Which areas where guiding is not permissible?
Guiding in the Museum
• Please note that British Museum staff (wearing Museum identity passes) conducting tours have priority
over other groups in the galleries.
• Tour groups are not permitted in Rooms 33, 33a, 33b, 61, 62, 63 and 91a or any exhibitions.
• You must not point or gesture towards people or objects within the collection using sticks, umbrellas,
poles, flags or any other object. Laser pointers/pens are not permitted in the Museum.
• Loudspeakers, voice amplifiers or microphones must not be used by tour guides or leaders when
conducting or leading tour groups.
• In the event of an emergency, use the nearest fire exit and follow instructions from Museum staff.
63
What guided tours available at the British Museum?
* Around the world in 90 minutes tour - £14 - Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 11.30 and 14.00 - over 16s, 12 and over accompanied by an adult - pre-book ticket
* Desire, Love, Identity: An LGBTQ tour, 70 minutes - free - scheduled dates - over 16s, 12 and over accompanied by an adult - pre-book ticket
* Spotlight: the Reading Room tour, 20 minutes - free - Tuesday at 11.00 and 12.00 - NO PHOTOGRAPHY IN READING ROOM - no need to book
* Friday night spotlight tours, 20 minutes - free - late night Fridays only
* Eye-opener tours, 40 minutes - free
64
What current or future events are taking place in the British Museum?
War rugs Afghanistan's knotted history until 29th June 2025
65
What refreshment/eateries are available at the British Museum?
* Court Cafés - Great Court both north corners
* Coffee Lounge - first-floor café, south side overlooking Great Court
* Great Court Restaurant - top of Reading Room, go up outer stairs
* Pizzeria - south-west corner of the Ground floor – just turn left immediately after you enter the Main Entrance and keep going
66
How many retail outlets are there in the British Museum?
4 Shops on site
Bookshop, Great Court: daily, 10.00–17.00
Collections shop, Great Court: daily, 10.00–17.00
Great Court shop: daily, 10.00–17.00
Grenville Room, near south entrance: daily, 10.00–17.00
Online shop(Opens in new window): open 24 hours a day
67
How do we know what the sculptures on the Parthenon looked like before the explosion in 1674?
The ancient travel writer Pausanias tells us that the subject of the East Pediment is the birth of Athena.
68
In what year did Sir Hans Sloane pass away?
1753
69
Approximately how many objects and items did Sir Hans Sloane bequeath to the British nation?
71,000
Seventy one thousand
70
How much money did the British Government pay to Sir Hans Sloanes heirs?
£20,000
Twenty thousand pounds
71
What was the name of the act that established the British Museum?
British Museum Act
72
In which year was the Old Royal Library donated to the British Museum by George II?
1757
73
Who donated the 'Old Royal Library' to the British Museum in 1757?
King George II
74
In what year did the British Museum open?
1759
75
What was the name of the house where the British Museum first opened in 1759?
Montagu House
76
Who owned Montagu House before it was purchased by the British Museum?
2nd Duke of Montagu
77
The British Museum was the first national museum in the world, how much did it cost to enter?
It was free!
78
In which year was the 'King's Library' (the personal library of GRIII) donated by King George IV?
1822
79
What did George II donate to the British Museum in 1757?
The 'Old Royal Library'
80
What did King George IV donate to the British Museum in 1822?
The 'King's Library'
(the personal library of GRIII)
81
In which year was the new (current) British Museum completed and opened?
1852
82
In what order were the wings of the British Museum built?
a) the East Wing
b) the West Wing
c) the North Wing
d) the South Wing
83
Who was the architect of the British Museum?
Sir Robert Smirke
84
In which year was the Round Reading Room opened to the public?
1857
85
Who was the architect of the Riund Reading Room?
Sydney Smirke
86
In which year was the British Library established?
1973
87
In which year did the British Library complete its move to the St Pancras site?
1997
88
In which year did her late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, open the Queen Elizabeth Great Court?
2000
89
a) Who designed the roof spanning over the Queen Elizabeth II Great Court?
b) who engineered it?
a) Foster & Partners
b) Buro Happold
90
How many unique panes of glass are in the roof spanning the Queen Elizabeth II Great Court?
3312
91
Where can you find the largest covered square in Europe?
Queen Elizabeth II Great Court at the British Museum
92
In the Round Reading Room, what is the length of
a) the bookcases
b) the shelving
a) 3 miles (4.8km)
b) 25 miles (nearly 40 km)
93
What is the reading room made out of?
Cast iron, concrete and glass
94
Name five famous people who visited the reading room
a) Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes
b) Bram Stoker, Dracula
c) Karl Marks, revolutionary socialist
d) Vladimir Lenin, revolutionary socialist (under the pseudonym Jacob Richter)
e) Mahatma Ghandi, nonviolent resistance leader
95
What pseudonym did Vladimir Lenin use when visiting the Round Reading Room?
Jacob Richter
96
Who was Jacob Richter?
The name was a pseudonym used by Vladimir Lenin when he used the Round Reading Room
97
How many objects are in the British Museum's permanent collection?
8 million
98
How many objects are on display in the British Museum?
65 thousand
99
Which objects appeared in the first Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone?
The Lewis Chessmen
100
Name a film in which the Lewis Chessmen appeared
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (the first film)
101
On average, how many people visit the British Museum each year?
5 million
102
How much does a ticket to the British Museum cost?
£0 - it's free but suggested that visitors give a donation
103
How tall would the Rosetta Stone have been before it was broken?
2 metres (6ft 5in)
104
How many languages are written on the Rosetta Stone?
Name them
2 languages
Ancient Egyptian
Ancient Greek
105
How many scripts or writing systems appear on the Rosetta Stone?
Name them
3 scripts
Hieroglyphs
Demotic
Ancient Greek
106
What does Hieroglyph mean?
'The words of the gods'
Hiero means sacred
Glyph means writing
107
Which king (pharaoh) is referred to on the Rosetta Stone?
To which ruling Dynasty did ge belong?
Ptolemy V
Greek Macedonians
108
In which year did Alexander the Great conquer Egypt?
How long did the Greek Macedonians rule Egypt for?
332BC
Three hundred years until Egypt became part of the Roman Empire
109
When was the Rosetta Stone discovered?
Who discovered it?
1799
Napoleon's army
110
Why is the Rosetta Stone named Rosetta?
What does Rosetta mean?
What is Rosetta called now?
Because it was found in the town of Rosetta
Little Rose
El Rashid
111
What would the Egyptians called these stone slabs with decrees on them?
Stelae
112
What was the name of the treaty between the French and British which handed the Rosetta Stone into British hands?
How many objects were granted to the British?
The Treaty of Alexandria
22 objects
113
When did the Rosetta Stone first arrive and go on display at the British Museum?
1802
114
Name the TWO scholars who are credited with deciphering the Rosetta Stone
British polymath Thomas Young
And
Frenchman Jean-Francois Champollion
115
What is the name given to hieroglyphs outlined by an oval shape?
Cartouche
116
What is written within a cartouche?
What does cartouche mean?
The pharaoh's name
Cartridge (bullet)
117
What date appears on the Rosetta Stone?
27th March 196BC
118
By what name is the SCULPTURE of Ramesses II sometimes referred to?
The Younger Memnon
119
When was the sculpture of Ramesses II created?
Approximately 1250 BC
120
What type of stone has been used to create the sculpture of Ramesses II?
Pink and grey granite
121
What is a nemes?
A striped headcloth worn by pharaohs
122
What colour would Ramesses II's nemes have been painted?
Blue with yellow or gold
123
What is a diadem
A crown
124
What is a uraeus?
Where would the uraeus be placed?
A figure of a rearing cobra
On the front of the diadem
125
What is the correct Egyptian name of the headcloth worn by Ramesses II?
Nemes
126
What is the correct Egyptian name for the cobra on the front of Ramesses II's diadem?
Uraeus
127
Where is the cartouche that identified the sculpture of Ramesses II as being him?
On the spine of the sculpture
128
How else was Ramesses II known?
Ramesses II
Ramesses the Great
Ruler of Rulers
Ozymandias (Greek)
129
How many children did Ramesses II have?
Approximately 100
130
How old was Ramesses II when he passed away?
More than 90 years old
131
How long was Ramesses II's reign?
What year did he rule from and what year dud his rule end?
66/67 years
1279 BC - 1213 BC
132
How much does the sculpture of Ramesses II weigh?
7 tonnes
133
How did the sculpture of Ramesses II get broken up and when?
The French blew it apart with dynamite sometime between 1798 and 1799
134
In what year did the British acquire the sculpture of Ramesses II?
1815
135
Who was responsible for moving the sculpture of Ramesses II from Egypt to Britain?
Henry Salt, the British Consul, hired an Italian, Giovanni Belzoni
136
Who was Giovanni Belzoni?
How tall was he?
An Italian adventurer and antiquities dealer, trained in hydraulics and a strongman, he was hired by Henry Salt to transport the sculpture of Ramesses II to Britain
He was 6ft 7in tall
137
Who was Henry Salt?
The British Consul who hired Giovanni Belzoni to transport the sculpture of Ramesses II to Britain
138
Where was the sculpture of Ramesses II originally located before being brought to Britain?
A temple in Karnak (Thebes) near modern Luxor, Egypt
Now called the Ramesseum
139
What was the purpose of the Ramesseum?
It was a mortuary temple for Ramesses II, he was not to be buried there but instead venerated in life and worshipped in death
140
In which year did the British Museum acquire the sculpture of Ramesses II from Henry Salt, the British Consul in Egypt?
1821
141
When was the script Cuneiform first used?
3500 BC
142
What does 'Cuneus' of Cuneiform mean?
Latin for wedge
143
When did the Assyrian empire dominate the Middle East?
900 BC until 600 BC
144
What does colossal mean?
Larger than life
145
What are the winged bulls called?
Lamassu
146
What date were the winged bulls of Khorsabad sculpted?
They date from the Neo-Assyrian Age
710 BC - 705 BC
147
What function did the Winged Bulls of Khorsabad perform?
They sat at the entrance to the citadel, not only were they magical creatures, protective spirits, both divine and royal, but they also supported the vaulting of the gateway
148
What was Northern Iraq called during the Assyrian empire?
Mesopotamia
149
What does Mesopotamia mean?
The land between two rivers
150
When was the Assyrian empire first founded as a city-state?
2500 BC
151
When did the Assyrian king, Sargon II rule?
721 BC until 705 BC
152
What does the Lammasu have for;
a) a head
b) a body
c) protruding from its flanks
a) human head, for wisdom
b) body of a bull, for strength
c) wings of an eagle, for speed of action
153
What does the Lammasu have on its head?
A hat with horns of divinity
A beard for royalty
154
How many legs does the Lammasu have?
5
155
What is carved into the upright panel behind the Lamnasu?
What is it carrying?
A semi-divine figure, a bit like a genie
A bucket containing magical fluid and a "cone', a bit like a pine cone
156
a) What was Sargon II's new capital city called?
b) What is it called today
a) Dur-Sharrukin
b) Khorsabad
157
What does Dur-Sharrukin mean?
The fortress of Sargon
158
Who appears carved into the panel in front of the Lammasu?
Sargon II (facing right) he may be talking to an Assyrian officer, to their right (facing left) is Possibly the Crown Prince Sennacherib
159
Upon Sargon II'S death, what did his successor Sennacherib do?
He abandoned Dur-Sharrukin and moved his capital to his newly founded city, Ninevah
160
Who discovered Dur-Sharrukin and the winged bulls?
When?
French archaeologist Paul-Emile Botta
1842
161
a) Who bought the Lammasu?
b) Who did he buy them from?
c) When?
a) Henry Rawlinson, the British Resident in Baghdad
b) the French Consul
c) 1849
162
How did Henry Rawlinson manage to transport the Lamnasu to Britain?
He had them sawn into several pieces
163
What does the cuneiform inscription on the Lammasu say?
It is a list of Sargon's titles, ancestry and achievements
164
a) When was cuneiform first used?
b) When was cuneiform last used?
a) the Bronze Age, around 3500 BC
b) 75 AD
165
What language is written on the Lammasu using Cuneiform?
Akkadian
166
What is scratched into the base of the Lammasu below the Cuneiform inscription?
The 'Royal game of Ur'
otherwise known as
'Game of twenty squares'
167
What did French archaeologists think they had discovered when they found Dur-Sharrukin in 1842?
Biblical Ninevah
168
When was the Cuneiform on the Lammasu finally deciphered?
1857
169
Which TWO rivers did Mesopotamia lay between?
The Tigris and the Euphrates
170
Which modern countries are Mesopotamia today?
Roughly Iraq and Syria
171
Where was the Assyrian capital before Sargon II built Dur-Sharrukin?
Nimrud
172
How many days does it take to mummify a body?
70 days
173
What is the name of the containers that were used by the ancient Egyptians during the mummification process, to store and preserve the viscera of their soul for the afterlife?
Canopic jars
174
Name the brother of the goddess Athena.
Hephaestus (half-brother)
Ares (half-brother)
Apollo (half-brother)
Hermes (half-brother)
Artemis (half-sister)
Hebe (half-sister)
Eileithyia (half-sister)
175
Who were Athena's parents?
Zeus and Metis
176
Which empire governed Athens at the time Lord Elgin removed the sculptures?
The Ottoman Empire
177
What is the name of the figure below Shiva’s foot?
Apasmara
178
What is the date of the mosque lamp?
AD 1549 (AH 956)
179
Where was the mosque lamp made?
Made in: Iznik, Turkey
180
Where in the British Museum can you borrow a wheelchair?
Book in advance
Collect from the Great Russell Street entrance
181
In what circumstances do you enter the British Museum via
(a) the Great Russell Street
entrance
(b) the Montague Place entrance?
(a) Entry to the Museum for ticketholders is via the Main entrance on Great Russell Street.
(b) walk-up entry will only be possible at the Montague Place entrance, and entry is dependent on capacity
