A walk through history
Starting this year, stuff@ school has been rebranded to BRATs, an existing Young Journalist Programme of The Star. Jonathan Lee Rong Sheng kicks off the first issue.
I’M a history buff. It all began when I followed my mum, an English teacher, to her private classes. Granted a seat of honour beside her, I soaked in all that she was imparting to her students.
There was one lesson that caught my attention especially. It was about the legendary “boy king” Tutankhamun. I was fascinated by the ancient civilisation of Egypt and its pharaohs, and from then on, my historical curiosity was piqued.
So, imagine my excitement when I visited the British Museum in London, which hosts eight million artefacts from around the world. Although it was in 2013,I remember the trip like it was yesterday.
Stepping inside the majestic building, I was filled with anticipation of what I would discover. And I was not to be disappointed.
First to greet me was The Great Wave off Kanagawa – the world-renowned masterpiece of Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai. I tugged excitedly at my mum’s coat as I pointed at the huge tapestry of crashing waves with Japan’s Mount Fuji in the background.
But that was only the “appetiser”. Gallery after gallery, I found myself holding my breath as my eyes fell on the historical items on display.
In one room, I stood in awe before a replica of a Greek temple, marble busts of fantastical characters from Greek mythology and colossal horses! It was truly a sight that one rarely gets to behold.
This was also one of the features that made it into Night at the Museum 3: Secret of the Tomb. Watching the movie in 2014 rekindled fond memories of my visit.
It was interesting to see the exhibits come alive on film. It got me wondering how different my experience would have been, if the real-life exhibits had sprung into action.
But I digress. At the Egyptian gallery, I was swept off my feet by the enormous granite statue of King Amenhotep III, which stood tall at the centre of the hall. I even rubbed my eyes and pinched myself to make sure it wasn’t all a dream.
I was equally spellbound by the famous Rosetta Stone, which was discovered by Napoleon Bonaparte’s troops.
I realised then what Howard Carter – the archaeologist who discovered King Tut’s tomb – had meant when he said: “Yes,( I see) wonderful things.”
Other things that I came face to face with included mummified cats, ornaments used by Egyptians from different classes of society, jewellery with which the pharaohs adorned themselves, and a huge scarab beetle carving, which was believed to be the world’s largest at its time.
These were priceless artefacts from across the mystical land of the pyramids. You may see them in blockbusters like The Mummy but there’s nothing like real-world experience.
What excited me the most was finally seeing a sarcophagus – something I had read so much about in my childhood – in real life.
Like an archaelogist who has just made a new discovery, I got into a frenzy posing for photographs beside it, much to my mother’s chagrin.
In the Middle East gallery, I was transfixed by the long stone sculptures from ancient Assyria and Nineveh, installed along a hallway. Having read so much about these nations in the Bible, I was delighted to view the skilfully crafted relics.
Indeed, there was no shortage of things that amazed me at the British Museum. It was, from every aspect, an enlightening experience.
Museums have always had a spe- cial place in my heart. They are one of the must-visits whenever I travel locally or abroad. For me, seeing is believing and a museum is the most exciting place for me to learn and explore.
What never fails to intrigue me is how ancient people – without the help of modern technology – were able to create mammoth monuments, produce elaborate craftsmanship and achieve advanced medical knowledge.
Think about it, most exhibits have endured years, even centuries, of rain and shine. Isn’t it a huge privilege for us to view them in the present?
Take my advice: stop by a museum and let it take you on a journey through time.