Latest news with #LeedsMuseumsandGalleries
New York Post
24-05-2025
- General
- New York Post
Rare 1,200-year-old Christian cross found in field by metal detectors
A city recently announced the discovery of a gilded Christian artifact dating back to the Early Middle Ages. In a statement published on May 12, the City of Leeds in the U.K. said the Saxon-era pendant was uncovered in a local field. It dates back over 1,200 years and was found by a metal detectorist last year. The 'tiny Saxon treasure' has one broken arm, and the central stone it once held is now missing. But the city said the artifact is 'nevertheless a stunning example of metalwork, made from solid silver covered with a thin layer of gold leaf.' 'Believed to date from the 8th century, the gilded pectoral cross may have once been a badge of office for an important church leader or official and was unearthed last year by a metal detectorist,' the city said. '[The pendant] gives experts a fascinating glimpse into life in early medieval Yorkshire.' Pictures show the small cross bearing an intricate interlacing pattern. Kat Baxter, a curator of archaeology at Leeds Museums and Galleries, said the cross was likely worn by a high-status member of Saxon society, such as an important church leader or official. 5 A city recently announced the discovery of a gilded Christian artifact dating back to the Early Middle Ages. Leeds City Council 'The cross is beautifully decorated on both sides, which suggests it was designed to hang around the neck with the suspension loop on the missing arm,' the historian said. Baxter added, 'It would certainly have been worn by someone of high status and is an outward display of religious identity.' She added that the cross was made when Leeds was part of Northumbria. Leeds was first mentioned in the 8th century by Saint Bede, a monk who recorded much of what historians know about the early history of the British Isles. 5 The 'tiny Saxon treasure' has one broken arm, and the central stone it once held is now missing. Leeds City Council 5 Curators of archaeology at Leeds Museums and Galleries believe the cross was likely worn by a high-status member of Saxon society, such as an important church leader or official. Leeds City Council The kingdom was affiliated with paganism until the 7th century A.D. It transitioned to Christianity, making the cross an early remnant of Christianity in Leeds. '[A]long with a number of other discoveries in the area, it really helps us build a picture of the types of people who would have lived here during this time,' Baxter said. 'All of these finds are part of a puzzle, which together show that Leeds was home to high-status, important individuals during the Saxon period, and this beautiful cross is the latest glimpse into the past,' Baxton added. 5 In addition to the Saxon cross, Leeds is home to many fascinating historical finds, according to reports. Leeds City Council 'Unfortunately, objects representing less wealthy people are less likely to survive.' Salma Arif, a member of the Leeds City Council, called the cross 'a beautiful example of the history all around us.' 'It's always wonderful when we are able to add important objects like this to our collections, and we're very grateful for the continued support of funders and visitors in helping us to preserve our local heritage,' she said. 5 Beautiful ancient artifacts were found around Leeds over the years. Leeds City Council In addition to the Saxon cross, Leeds is home to many fascinating historical finds. The remains of an Ancient Roman aristocrat, for example, were found within city limits in 2023. Before that, over 600 19th-century beer bottles were found under a staircase in the city.
BBC News
21-04-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Leeds hippo helps experts reveal science behind whiskers
A 100-year-old stuffed hippo has helped biologists better understand how mammals use their a former resident of London Zoo in the 1920s, was taken out of the Leeds Museums archives and studied as part of analysis at Leeds Discovery Centre into the inner workings of biologist Dr Robyn A Grant, from the University of Manchester, said it was "the very first time" hippopotamus whiskers had been examined in such close Grant said: "Large aquatic species, like hippos, walruses and manatees, have hundreds of very small whiskers. While walruses and manatees have been studied a little, hippo whiskers have never been looked at." Dr Grant, who researches the diversity of whisker numbers and arrangements across mammals, explained: "Working with zoos and museums such as Leeds Discovery Centre, we are trying to understand how the whiskers are arranged, and what the animals use them for." Whiskers, also known by the scientific name vibrissae, are sensitive, coarse hairs located on the face and used to sense the surrounding the hippo was acquired by Leeds Museums in 1938, and has recently undergone an extensive refurbishment to restore him to his original to the Discovery Centre, many older taxidermy specimens were missing whiskers due to age or bad the Leeds collection - home to more than 6,000 taxidermy mammals - are chinchillas, harp seals and coypu, a large South American rodent. Many of the taxidermy animals were collected in the early 20th Century, when deceased animals were often purchased by taxidermists before being stuffed and Burhouse, Leeds Museums and Galleries curator of natural sciences, said the research into whiskers demonstrated the importance of taxidermy collections."We're delighted Billie and our collection have been able to support such a fascinating research project, which could help our understanding of how hippos and other animals use whiskers to interact with their environment," she said."It's amazing that these specimens, some collected more than a century ago, can still tell us so much about the natural world and help inform our understanding of how we can protect vulnerable species today and in the future." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Ancient Egyptian breadcrumb found in museum store
A crumb of bread entombed thousands of years ago alongside an ancient Egyptian mummy has been discovered among a collection of previously uncatalogued items. The microscopic morsel was unearthed during a volunteer project at Leeds Discovery Centre and is being recorded in a national database so it can be viewed and accessed by experts and the public. Leeds Museums and Galleries curator of natural sciences Clare Brown, who supervised the project, said the breadcrumb was found alongside a host of other remarkable items. She said: "Discovering Egyptian bread was particularly surprising, and the fact we can connect the Leeds collection to bread baked thousands of years ago on a different continent is fascinating." Believed to be up to 3,000 years old, records show the bread was originally found in Thebes. In the 19th Century it was collected and preserved by an unknown Victorian microscopist and has since been stored as part of a collection of hundreds of previously uncatalogued slides. Stored in small, wooden trays, the items are being reviewed by volunteer Stephen Crabtree, who began working with the museum to study fossilised plants. While cataloguing the slides he also found a mote of dust from the Krakatoa volcanic eruption of 1883. It is thought the speck landed on the deck of a ship called the Arabella, which was sailing 1,000 miles to the west of the Indonesian island. Specimens of microscopic sea creatures found by the HMS Challenger are also among the array of slides. The ship left Kent in 1872 on a mission to circumnavigate the globe and explore the deep seas for the first time. Returning three and a half years later, the crew had gathered marine plants and animals, sea-floor deposits and rocks, which changed scientific understanding of the oceans. Examples found in the Leeds collection today include small disc-like fossils called orbitolites, which were gathered off the coast of Fiji. Ms Brown added: "We don't know exactly how or where many of these slides were collected, but we do know that each one of them was meticulously preserved for study and posterity by a diligent microscopist more than a century ago. "That in itself is evidence of how important they thought these specimens were and how much they wanted future generations to see and be inspired by them." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here. Museum to stay open as council budget finalised Museum showcases 200-year-old children's books Leeds Discovery Centre
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Ancient Egyptian breadcrumb found in museum store
A crumb of bread entombed thousands of years ago alongside an ancient Egyptian mummy has been discovered among a collection of previously uncatalogued items. The microscopic morsel was unearthed during a volunteer project at Leeds Discovery Centre and is being recorded in a national database so it can be viewed and accessed by experts and the public. Leeds Museums and Galleries curator of natural sciences Clare Brown, who supervised the project, said the breadcrumb was found alongside a host of other remarkable items. She said: "Discovering Egyptian bread was particularly surprising, and the fact we can connect the Leeds collection to bread baked thousands of years ago on a different continent is fascinating." Believed to be up to 3,000 years old, records show the bread was originally found in Thebes. In the 19th Century it was collected and preserved by an unknown Victorian microscopist and has since been stored as part of a collection of hundreds of previously uncatalogued slides. Stored in small, wooden trays, the items are being reviewed by volunteer Stephen Crabtree, who began working with the museum to study fossilised plants. While cataloguing the slides he also found a mote of dust from the Krakatoa volcanic eruption of 1883. It is thought the speck landed on the deck of a ship called the Arabella, which was sailing 1,000 miles to the west of the Indonesian island. Specimens of microscopic sea creatures found by the HMS Challenger are also among the array of slides. The ship left Kent in 1872 on a mission to circumnavigate the globe and explore the deep seas for the first time. Returning three and a half years later, the crew had gathered marine plants and animals, sea-floor deposits and rocks, which changed scientific understanding of the oceans. Examples found in the Leeds collection today include small disc-like fossils called orbitolites, which were gathered off the coast of Fiji. Ms Brown added: "We don't know exactly how or where many of these slides were collected, but we do know that each one of them was meticulously preserved for study and posterity by a diligent microscopist more than a century ago. "That in itself is evidence of how important they thought these specimens were and how much they wanted future generations to see and be inspired by them." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here. Museum to stay open as council budget finalised Museum showcases 200-year-old children's books Leeds Discovery Centre
