Ancient Egypt at 2 Temple Place.

After Soho we drove down to Lincoln's Inn Fields to park and then walked down to the river. We were searching for '2 Temple Place' which turns out to be an old mansion sitting rather uneasily amongst all the offices that line the riverbank.

The mansion used to belong to the fabulously wealthy and rather right wing Astor family and opens to the public once a year, probably for tax reasons.

Each year (paid for by public funds) there is an exhibition which brings together exhibits from small, provincial museums and galleries, which would otherwise never reach so many people.

This year it's "Beyond Beauty- transforming the body in ancient Egypt".

Don't expect a blockbuster - these are small scale, human exhibits from small local museums, but together they add up to three magical rooms which deal with beauty in Ancient Egypt from life through to death and beyond.

There are plenty of 'make-up kits' and jewellery and then there are these amazing figures bearing funeral offerings;

Some items, like this boat, may have a slightly doubtful 'provenance' but I'm not sure it matters;

There's nothing wrong with this amazing golden mask;

And there's a sarcophagus or two;

For me, these jars which housed internal organs after embalming were the highlight. Each one represents a god; the Baboon, the Hawk, the Hound and the Man god......

As I said before, it isn't the British Museum but it's on a pleasant, human scale, it's free but it's only on until 24th April;

Even the mansion is worth seeing;

Then we sat in the cold March sun, down by the river - watching the tourist boats bouncing up and down and marvelling at our good fortune to have the possibility of another summer stretching out before us.

Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com