British Museum visit, 2006

Bust of Ramesses II (427 x 640)

This is one of the first exhibits one sees in the gallery. Traditionally, it is this Ramesses (also romanized as Ramses) who is believed to have been the despotic pharaoh from whom the Israelites fled in the book of Exodus. Originally, this would have been a complete statue, but only the head and upper torso remain. The red granite construction is quite typical of Egyptian statues and ornaments; some non-granite ornaments were actually painted to look as if they were made from this stone.

Sahkmet, the lion-headed goddess (640 x 427)

These four statues represent Sahkmet. She was believed to be a goddess of destruction, bringing death to those who opposed Ra, the sun god.

Low shot of the head from an enormous pharaoh statue (427 x 640)

The original statue would have been gigantic. Those Egyptians didn't do anything by halves.

Little sphinx (640 x 427)

Made from gneiss, which is a type of rock formed volcanically at high temperature and pressure. Nice patterns; looks a lot more interesting than granite.

Funeral statue (427 x 640)

Much of the paint is still intact, giving us an idea of the way that some of the other statues might originally have looked.

Red granite sarcophagus (640 x 427)

No Egyptian exhibition would be complete without a sarcophagus. (Somewhere on it, there should be a hidden button or something that slowly opens the lid and brings the contents to life. Unfortunately, life is not an Indiana Jones movie).

Cat goddess Bastet (427 x 640)

Hmmmm, "Cat Goddess Bastet" sounds like a name for a second-rate anime...

Mummified cats (427 x 640)

The Egyptians revered cats, even sometimes going to the trouble of mummifying them, as can be seen in this slightly creepy photograph. Cats weren't the only creatures they mummified; the museum also had examples of other mummified creatures, including falcons, crocodiles, and even beetles.

Funeral mask (427 x 640)

Everyone likes gilded funeral masks.

Frieze (640 x 427)

An eye-catching example of Egyptian artwork.