The Boy-King
Sunday, 18. May 2008, 21:21:41
I get the impression, from what I've read, that the best known Pharaoh of ancient Egypt wasn't really a very good leader. I don't think that he achieved anything in his 10 years, except to fool around, be a puppet leader and then die a pointless death aged only 19. His tomb was so small and unimpressive that the grave robbers never really looked that hard, leaving it for the 20th Century archaeologists to marvel over more than 3,000 years later.
I know all of this because on Saturday I went to London to see the 'Tutankhamun – Some Egyptian Guy' exhibition at the O2 arena.
My mother got us all tickets to go and see it last year, so we've been waiting since then for the date. She didn't get tickets for herself because she can remember it pretty well.
I was supposed to meet my younger brother for lunch before going in, and arrived at the bar we were meeting at. I got a beer and asked the barman if he'd seen my brother ('looks like me but with shorter hair'). He said no, so I checked my phone: there was a txt from him saying that he was in Nando's. I called him up to let him know I was coming, and he got lunch in for me, so it was there when I arrived. I chugged my beer back super-quick, and got there to find my brother had nicely gotten me another beer. So I was two beers down before I'd even met the most of my family. I feel that that is the best way to meet them, but I also feel that feeling that means that I will probably be the next embarrassing family alcoholic, unless I stop it, soonish.
The exhibition has shown me a whole new perspective on Ancient Egypt. The first few rooms of the exhibition are filled with inane, stupid, consumerist junk, basically the same kind of rubbish which we fill our lives and houses with today. The only difference is that this stuff is 3,000 years old. There are stupid things like lotion bottles with gods carved on them, model boats, stupid twee statues of gods, spoons carved in the form of naked women... you get the idea. Apparently, the ancient Egyptians were also fond of beer as well
So when they weren't out fighting other countries or working in the fields, the Egyptians liked to stay at home, chill out with a beer and play around with nonsense consumerist crap. This brings them to life for me: they aren't just some remote, different, old people who lived thousands of years ago, these are humans just the same as we are, who did some amazing things and utterly stupid and totally pointless things, exactly the same as we still do now.
Some of the things which they actually did get in Tut's tomb were pretty cool though. The regular Egyptians had crap, but the boy-king got buried with good stuff. I think my favourite relic was this crown which which he wore to work. It has the most exquisitely carved vulture head on it, the head of the goddess Nekhbet, goddess of Lower Egypt. It's crisp lines and smooth, shiny appearance look like it was made only yesterday, not over 3,000 years ago. I don't think any of my jewellery will be around in 3,000 years.
The very headdress, in fact. Nekhbet is on the left.
After getting in touch with my Egyptian side, I took a boat from Greenwich to the Embankment and headed downtown. Downtown started out in the Candy Bar, which I quite like. But it's a lesbian bar, and my friend being a bisexual obviously wasn't so keen on it. It's that promoting bisexual stereotypes? I'd go to the Candy Bar again, but I think maybe by myself or with another dyke.
We moved on from there to Trash Palace, a more mainstream gay bar. It was a good evening. At the end of it a large contingent of straight people turned up. I have no problem with straight people coming to gay venues, but I do have a problem with straight couples holding hands and kissing in our places. I think that's because I feel threatened by straight men, and when I'm out letting my hair down with like-minded people, I don't want to be on my guard against predatory men. I don't think that's too much to ask, and I resent being called 'heterophobic' for that....
The roof of the millenium dome, altohugh they don't call it that anymore - I wanted to put one of my pictures in the post, and here is the one which I am putting up. It's the roof of the O2 arena, formerly known as the Millenium Dome. The Dome was built by the British Government, who took a lot of flak for building it. The media all whined about price, but I think that basically they just don't like the design. Or it could be that Brits, especially Londoners, tend to whine all the time anyway.
I know all of this because on Saturday I went to London to see the 'Tutankhamun – Some Egyptian Guy' exhibition at the O2 arena.
My mother got us all tickets to go and see it last year, so we've been waiting since then for the date. She didn't get tickets for herself because she can remember it pretty well.
I was supposed to meet my younger brother for lunch before going in, and arrived at the bar we were meeting at. I got a beer and asked the barman if he'd seen my brother ('looks like me but with shorter hair'). He said no, so I checked my phone: there was a txt from him saying that he was in Nando's. I called him up to let him know I was coming, and he got lunch in for me, so it was there when I arrived. I chugged my beer back super-quick, and got there to find my brother had nicely gotten me another beer. So I was two beers down before I'd even met the most of my family. I feel that that is the best way to meet them, but I also feel that feeling that means that I will probably be the next embarrassing family alcoholic, unless I stop it, soonish.
The exhibition has shown me a whole new perspective on Ancient Egypt. The first few rooms of the exhibition are filled with inane, stupid, consumerist junk, basically the same kind of rubbish which we fill our lives and houses with today. The only difference is that this stuff is 3,000 years old. There are stupid things like lotion bottles with gods carved on them, model boats, stupid twee statues of gods, spoons carved in the form of naked women... you get the idea. Apparently, the ancient Egyptians were also fond of beer as well
So when they weren't out fighting other countries or working in the fields, the Egyptians liked to stay at home, chill out with a beer and play around with nonsense consumerist crap. This brings them to life for me: they aren't just some remote, different, old people who lived thousands of years ago, these are humans just the same as we are, who did some amazing things and utterly stupid and totally pointless things, exactly the same as we still do now.Some of the things which they actually did get in Tut's tomb were pretty cool though. The regular Egyptians had crap, but the boy-king got buried with good stuff. I think my favourite relic was this crown which which he wore to work. It has the most exquisitely carved vulture head on it, the head of the goddess Nekhbet, goddess of Lower Egypt. It's crisp lines and smooth, shiny appearance look like it was made only yesterday, not over 3,000 years ago. I don't think any of my jewellery will be around in 3,000 years.
The very headdress, in fact. Nekhbet is on the left.
After getting in touch with my Egyptian side, I took a boat from Greenwich to the Embankment and headed downtown. Downtown started out in the Candy Bar, which I quite like. But it's a lesbian bar, and my friend being a bisexual obviously wasn't so keen on it. It's that promoting bisexual stereotypes? I'd go to the Candy Bar again, but I think maybe by myself or with another dyke.
We moved on from there to Trash Palace, a more mainstream gay bar. It was a good evening. At the end of it a large contingent of straight people turned up. I have no problem with straight people coming to gay venues, but I do have a problem with straight couples holding hands and kissing in our places. I think that's because I feel threatened by straight men, and when I'm out letting my hair down with like-minded people, I don't want to be on my guard against predatory men. I don't think that's too much to ask, and I resent being called 'heterophobic' for that....
The roof of the millenium dome, altohugh they don't call it that anymore - I wanted to put one of my pictures in the post, and here is the one which I am putting up. It's the roof of the O2 arena, formerly known as the Millenium Dome. The Dome was built by the British Government, who took a lot of flak for building it. The media all whined about price, but I think that basically they just don't like the design. Or it could be that Brits, especially Londoners, tend to whine all the time anyway.
WIDGETIZE