[MR] Staffordshire Hoard exhibit in DC

[sca_bard at yahoo.com]

Message: 5
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 2011 06:08:08 -0500
From: "Svana Haraldsdottir" <svana at triad.rr.com>
To: <atlantia at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org>
Subject: Re: [MR] National Geographic article on treasure
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Has anyone been to the Nat Geo Museum in DC yet to see the exhibit?

If so, please post your impressions of the exhibit and advice to those
of us who are planning to go.

Many thanks,
Svana


Lady Svana,

I had the delight of seeing the horde last Saturday.  My primary area of interest and research in the SCA is Anglo-Saxon England, so I am naturally inclined to gush.

Impressions
Only a fraction of the hoard is on display, but most of the magnificent pieces that made the news can be seen: the large pectoral cross, the celebrated gold band with its verse of a Psalm, many of the zoomorphic decorations (including a seahorse, alas not unicornate!), a mystery object, and many, many, many fittings for swords and long knives.

The pieces look oddly familiar, if you've spent any amount of time buying similar replicas (from Raymond's Quiet Press, for example), yet I found it moving to look on them and know they were really *from* the era I've spent so much time studying.

There are video displays demonstrating period garnet polishing and cutting, wire making, and other relevant arts.  There are some reconstructions of some of the artifacts - many were bent and half-destroyed before being buried.  There are some touch displays offering additional information on some of the star pieces.  There are some static displays showing an accurately dressed Anglo-Saxon warrior, a bishop, and a family of four.

It was a bit smaller than I expected.  There is one main display room, a room showing a video loop about the hoard, and then a second room/exitway that I had to hurry through.

There are various demonstrations on the weekends.  I saw the "Three Faces of Beowulf," which was a nice performance by an early music group from one of the nearby universities.

I thought it was fabulous.

Advice
No photography is allowed!  I cannot draw for beans, so I purchased the book that goes along with the exhibit, in the hopes that it would contain images of the artifacts.  It is not a traditional museum exhibit catalog, but a sort of a cross between a catalog and a coffee table book.  There is also a DVD which I purchased but haven't watched; I'm hoping it will have all the video clips that were shown in the exhibit hall.

It is very close to the Farragut North Metro station (Red Line), which makes getting in and out somewhat simpler.

The cafeteria is closed on the weekends, but there are restaurants all around the area if you need a bite to eat.

YIS,
 - Teleri the Well-Prepared