This exhibition is now in our archive.
One of the themes brought out in the BBC series 'Civilisations' is how we look at art. In one programme, Mary Beard explores that theme in relation to some of the earliest images of the human body in the world. Included in this episode is footage of some of the objects from our collection: two Greek vases, and encaustic portraits removed from their original context in ancient Egyptian coffins (partly because they seemed much more appealing out of their perhaps macabre mummy casing). Our display shows how these objects relate to the 'Civilisations' theme, and suggests ways in which the theme can be explored throughout the Antiquities galleries in the Museum.
