Monday, March 12, 2012

Museum Displays at Drury Lane Library

We have already talked here about the museum displays at Drury Lane Library, and how they are being used in a range of workshops and activities.  We thought it about time we told you about some of what we have on display!  All of the objects on display in the library will be redisplayed in the new museum when it opens.

There are now 4 little museum displays in the library, including one on 'Before Wakefield'

Stone Head

Iron Age, 600BC - 43AD
Chaplethorpe

Carved stone heads are thought to have been symbols of spiritual power for the Brigantes, a major Celtic tribe based in northern England and particularly Yorkshire. Heads were sacred to the Celts and were thought to have been a source of supernatural power, providing inspiration, fertility and healing.



Altar

Romano-British, 43AD – 410AD
Woodnook Lock, Altofts

This altar is dedicated to Brigantia, the goddess of the Celtic Brigante tribe. Several similar altars have been found in the north of Britain, and their distribution probably shows us the area that the Brigantes controlled. This was probably made after the Roman invasion, copying stone altars from the Romans.


Watch this space for information on the other displays in Drury Lane Library!

We would love to hear your comments or thoughts about these objects.

1 comment:

  1. Mmm, these Iron Age 'lightbulb' heads are fascinating and this one shows particularly well accomplished workmanship. I suppose the Roquepertuse ones from Bouches du Rhone are best known, where the stone heads were mixed with real heads. It would be very nice to see more views of this head - from other angles. What is it that we can see creeping in on each side of the cheeks. Is there evidence of hair arrangement? Some of these heads just show a single ear. Is that the case in this instance? Finally, can you say something about the stone? What is it and how close is the potential source to the find-spot. Thank you for showing this. It is a fine object and well worthy of display and a wider audience.

    In the self-inflicted difficulties of our times, your museum collections and library services deserve every possible support. Wakefield is clearly an enlightened Local authority. Museum blight increases as you come south. Congratulations on an excellent website

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