The Prince and the Plunder

A book on how Britain took one boy and piles of treasures from Ethiopia

Tag: British Museum

Shield with lion’s mane possibly made for Emperor Tewodros

Published / by Andrew Heavens / Leave a Comment

What: A shield and lion’s mane made for Emperor Tewodros, taken by the British Museum’s expert on the expedition, Richard Rivington Holmes

Where: The British Museum, Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG

Provenance: Maqdala mentioned at length in acquisition notes. Shield described as possibly made for Tewodros.

There are images nd more details on the British Museum’s database entry – https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1868-1001-1

The entry reads: 

“It is possible this shield was made for Tewedros II himself. It was described as ‘royal’ at the point of aquisition and as ‘the most richly ornamented of the royal shieds’ in R. Holmes to J. Winter Jones 20th July 1868 (British Museum Central Archive, Original Papers Volume 94, April to July 1868, no. 7629).

Detail
Museum number: Af1868,1001.1
Date: 19thC (mid)
Made for: Tewodros II, Emperor of Ethiopia
Acquisition name: Field Collection by: Sir Richard Rivington Holmes
Acquisition date: 1868

Red silk royal robe

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What: A red and gold royal robe taken by the British Museum’s expert on the expedition, Richard Rivington Holmes

Where: The British Museum, Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG

Provenance: Maqdala referenced at length in the museum’s acquisition notes.

See images and more details in the British Museum’s database – https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1868-1001-24

The catalogue entry reads: “Royal robe made of silk brocade. Partially lined with cotton.”

Details
Museum number: Af1868,1001.24
Date: 19thC(mid)
Previous owner/ex-collection: Sir Richard Rivington Holmes
Acquisition date: 1868

Hand-held cross

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What: An engraved cross taken by the British Museum’s expert on the expedition, Richard Rivington Holmes

Where: The British Museum, Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG

Provenance: Maqdala referenced at length in the museum’s acquisition notes.

The catalogue entry reads:

Cross; cast in bronze and gilded. An upper patée cross is joined to a square shaped base with a shaft. The front upper part is engraved with figurative images and flowers; the back is engraved with figurative images, flowers, and a small Ge’ez inscription it has four large ovoid holes; outer edges have four finial crosses, a further three are missing.

Acquisition notes: “Richard Rivington Holmes, an assistant in the manuscripts department of The British Museum, had accompanied the expedition as an archaeologist. He acquired a number of objects for the British Museum, including around 300 manuscripts which are now housed in the British Library. In 1868 the Secretary of State for India, Sir Stafford Henry Northcote, 1st Earl of Iddesleigh, donated to The British Museum two further collections of material from Maqdala.”

Details
Museum number: Af1868,1001.20
Date: 18thC
Acquisition date: 1868

Processional cross

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What: A processional cross taken by the British Museum’s expert on the expedition, Richard Rivington Holmes

Where: The British Museum, Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG

Provenance: Maqdala referenced at length in the museum’s acquisition notes.

The catalogue entry reads:

Acquisition notes: Richard Rivington Holmes, an assistant in the manuscripts department of The British Museum, had accompanied the expedition as an archaeologist. He acquired a number of objects for the British Museum, including around 300 manuscripts which are now housed in the British Library. In 1868 the Secretary of State for India, Sir Stafford Henry Northcote, 1st Earl of Iddesleigh, donated to The British Museum two further collections of material from Maqdala. 

Detail
Museum number: Af1868,1001.17
Date: 18thC
Acquisition name: Previous owner/ex-collection: Sir Richard Rivington Holmes
Acquisition date: 1868

Royal tent made of silk damask

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What: A multi-coloured tent, given by Secretary of State for India, Sir Stafford Henry Northcote

Where: The British Museum, Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG

The catalogue entry reads: “Royal tent made of silk damask.”

Details
Museum number: Af1868,1230.19
Date: 19thC
Length: 358 cm
Width: 506 cm
Circumference: 1,012 cm
Acquisition name: Sir Stafford Henry Northcote, 1st Earl of Iddesleigh
Acquisition date: 1868

Royal tent made of silk damask

Published / by Andrew Heavens / Leave a Comment

What: A multi-coloured tent, given by Secretary of State for India, Sir Stafford Henry Northcote

Where: The British Museum, Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG

The catalogue entry reads: “Royal tent made of silk damask”.

Detail
Museum number: Af1868,1230.20
Date: 19thC
Length: 310 cm
Width: 1000 cm
Acquisition name: Sir Stafford Henry Northcote, 1st Earl of Iddesleigh
Acquisition date: 1868