✨ Wealthy ancient Greeks had access to solid gold and silver objects - but not everyone could afford the finer things.

💰 So how did Athenians emulate high-status objects without breaking the bank?

🧵 Keep reading to discover some ingenious examples ⬇ 🏺 This terracotta urn is decorated with the heads of lion-griffins which were once covered in gold leaf.

When new, the white body of the urn would have looked like ivory with solid gold lion-griffins https://t.co/47wFvRuJaEow.ly/6leq50PoWtW

In late July 1939, excavations at Sutton Hoo discovered the imprint of a 27-metre-long ship burial dating to the 7th century ⛵

✨ Inside were dazzling riches from early medieval Europe, including the iconic Sutton Hoo helmet https://t.co/CLc9JFPVjYow.ly/AJGG50P8nUx
This replica gives an idea of how the helmet may have originally looked.

The distinctive face mask forms the shape of a dragon, whose wings make the eyebrows and whose tail is the moustache 🐉 https://t.co/iVV1hf8Yrcow.ly/ONy950Pjz0Z

Our new exhibition of #HokusaiDrawings is now open!

★★★★★ ‘an imaginative adventure’ – The Times
★★★★ ‘sensational’ – The Guardian
★★★★ ‘powerful’ – Londonist

Book your tickets here: ow.ly/bSRK30rUhdv In a global first, #HokusaiDrawings showcases 103 unique and recently rediscovered drawings which provide an invaluable insight into Hokusai’s working processes and the world of 19th-century Japan.

Find out more about these amazing objects: ow.ly/bSRK30rUhdv

Zoom into the details of this Etruscan mirror, made around 300–200 BC.

✨ The bronze is decorated with scenes Greek mythology – find out more below 👇

🔎🔗 ow.ly/4kyh30rU34a This mirror shows the birth of Athena from Zeus’ head. Athena was known to the Etruscans and Romans as Minerva, inscribed here in Etruscan characters.
Learn all about the gods and goddesses of the Greek and Roman pantheon in our handy blog: ow.ly/sDLI30rU2Wm

1/4 ‘The British Museum stands in solidarity with the Black community throughout the world. Black Lives Matter.’ – Director Hartwig Fischer

Read Hartwig’s thoughts and response here: ow.ly/st5S30qMVSO 2/4 ‘We stand with everyone who is denied equal rights and protection from violence in the fullest sense of these terms. These are challenges that we as a society must address, injustices that must be overcome.’ ow.ly/st5S30qMVSO

As we approach the opening of our #TroyExhibition next week, we thought it might be time to introduce some of the characters you’re likely to meet from the myth of the Trojan War ⬇ ow.ly/BakH30pSpsS First up is Helen, queen of Sparta – famous as ‘the face that launched a thousand ships’, and the most beautiful woman in the world. She’s depicted in this 19th-century painting, on loan from @RCT ow.ly/BakH30pSpsS #TroyExhibition

King #Ashurbanipal was a scholar, as well as a warrior and lion hunter. In the 7th BC, he amassed a vast library of over 30,000 clay tablets.

This one notes it belonged to ‘Ashurbanipal, King of the World, King of Assyria’ 📚👑 ow.ly/tXg230nlxmD #Ashurbanipal’s Library is one of the most important archaeological discoveries ever made, covering everything from medicine to magic, ritual to court gossip.

Find out more about the Library and the ancient Assyrian empire in our Curator’s blog post: ow.ly/5D4l30nlwYO

We’re excited to announce our next major show, opening in 2019!

#MangaExhibition will explore the phenomenon of manga, and will be the largest exhibition of the art form ever to take place outside of Japan. ow.ly/LXIe30mRrsW Manga is a Japanese visual narrative art, telling stories with pictures in real or imagined worlds. #MangaExhibition ow.ly/LXIe30mRrsW