My Atmosphere

From the Great Court, a right (as you enter) leads to the Museum’s most popular wing. Star of the Egyptian sculpture is the Rosetta Stone, whose trilingual inscriptions (in Greek, Heterotic, and Hieroglyphic) made the deciphering of ancient Egyptian possible. (Room 4.) Just as imposing are the monumental friezes and reliefs of the Assyrian, Hittite, and other ancient Near-Eastern civilizations. (Rooms 6-10, ground floor. The southern end of room 4 leads into room 6.) Most famous of the massive array of Greek sculpture on show are the Elgin Marbles, carved under the direction of classical Athens’ greatest sculptor, Phidias. (Room 18.) Equally impressive (and far less crowded) are the almost perfectly preserved Bassae Friezes, in, displaying scenes from the battle between Perseus and the Amazons. (Room 16, upstairs from 17.) Other Hellenic highlights include bits and bobs from two of the seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus and the Mausoleum of Halikarnassos. (Rooms 21-22.) Upstairs, the Portland Vase presides over Roman ceramics and housewares. When discovered in 1582 the base had already been broken and replaced. In 1845, it was shattered by a drunken museum-goer; when it was put back together, 37 small chips were left over. Since then, the vase has been beautifully reconstructed twice, with more left-over chips being reincorporated each time—don’t touch! (Room 70.)