All posts by administrator

Real or fake?

A while ago I came across this in the TWAM collections and a glance at the documentation doesn’t give many clues. It’s a slightly dubious looking Egyptian artefact with poorly engraved hieroglyphs on the back of each figure and a… Read more

Hieroglyphic conundrum

I have a great challenge for any hieroglyphic readers out there… Two years ago I did some work on the coffins of Irtyru, one of the Great North Museum: Hancock mummies using infra-red photography (with the help of my colleague,… Read more

Preparations for a new permanent gallery at Discovery Museum

Discovery Museum was recently awarded a grant from the government and The Wolfson Foundation charity to refurbish one of our permanent galleries. It was the second highest award given out across the country! Find out more here   Preparing for… Read more

Pilgrim Street and the Newe House

The other day I was stood at the bus stop in Pilgrim Street, in front of the old Odeon, when the Number 1 bus to Slatyford suddenly transformed into a hay wain pulled by four oxen and two horses… Well,… Read more

Better than JMW Turner? Thomas Girtin’s ‘Morpeth Bridge’ watercolour

Was Girtin a better watercolourist than JMW Turner? Turner himself seemed to say so – after his friend’s early death, Turner remarked, If Tom Girtin had lived, I should have starved. He was exaggerating wildly, of course, but Turner’s words… Read more