Alison Fisk

This octopus and other fragmentary animal mosaics were discovered in the 19th century at the Hermitage of Santa Colomba, Villaquejida, which had been built on the site of an earlier Roman villa. Read more on this link: dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/artic…

A charming little octopus from a #Roman villa at Villaquejida, León, Spain. Limestone, 2nd-3rd century AD 🐙❤️ Museo Arqueológico Nacional, Madrid 📷 by me #MosaicMonday #Archaeology

A real perk of staying at Mena House this trip was the free (golf buggy) drop off and pick up at the entrance gate next to the Great Pyramid. This used to be the main entrance into the Giza complex but it closed last year. The main gate and ticket office are now over by the Sphinx. Mena House have negotiated for their guests to still use the old entrance which is super convenient! The concierge arranged entry tickets for us (charged to room) and pick up was really quick when we were ready to leave. Once inside the Pyramid complex there are free hop-on hop-off shuttle buses operating every 5 mins around the main sites which worked really well too

@chapps @david_hemond There are lots of old B&W photos dotted around the hotel. Maybe your grandmother is in one of them!

Today, I visited the Step Pyramid at Saqqara. Egypt’s first pyramid. Built around 2,630 BC, by the architect Imhotep as a royal tomb for King Djoser of the Third Dynasty (Old Kingdom). #Archaeology

@chapps @david_hemond We’re having the BEST time! You will LOVE the GEM and likely need two days like me to take it all in! Just having morning coffee at Mena House. Never tire of this view!

@AlisonFisk @david_hemond Whaaaaa? I had no idea you were in Egypt. Amazing. I was supposed to be there this month, but I’m putting the trip off until next year. Enjoy!

@Educated501 Fantastic time!

@AlisonFisk Great photo! I hope you're having a fabulous time!

@Lindsay_Powell I absolutely recommend a visit!

@AlisonFisk I hope to go myself one day.

@PenlandKW We were able to go inside the Step Pyramid today which was amazing! It wasn’t open when we last visited. I was also really keen to visit the Tomb of Mereruka to see the incredible tomb reliefs

@AlisonFisk My favorite pyramid site. Just has such a different vibe from Giza, and the design and layout are so architecturally unique. Can't wait to visit again!

@robertemit2 I was thrilled to be there! 😄

@AlisonFisk Thrilled for you.

@glenparry8183 That’s for another trip! Today we went inside the Tombs of Ptahhotep and Mereruka. Also we went into the Serapeum, and inside the Step Pyramid, followed by a visit to Memphis to see the colossal statue of Ramesses II. That was enough for one day!

Here’s a fuller view of the mosaic floor in the women’s changing room (apodyterium) at the Central Baths in Herculaneum. The monochrome floor mosaic depicts a marine scene featuring the spectacular octopus together with the sea god Triton, a cherub, dolphins, and a squid. 📷 by me

Spectacular octopus from the floor of the women’s changing room at the Central Baths in ancient Herculaneum. 📷 by me #MosaicMonday #Archaeology

@AlisonFisk I was looking for my photo of that,must have missed her in Naples museum.This is on a similar theme.

@AnnMile71721158 Nice photo!

The ‘Sappho’ fresco from Pompeii. A beautiful Roman portrait of a young woman for #InternationalWomensDay She holds a writing tablet, and raises a writing stylus to her lips in thoughtful contemplation. 55-70 AD. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples 📷 by me #Archaeology

‘Women’s writing in the ancient world’, a blog by Anna P. Judson: itsallgreektoanna.wordpress.com/2020/03/06/wom…

@RichardPalm8 @ZwartblesIE Yes, according to Heraklion Museum guidebook, the decorative motifs are drawn in red, white, and crimson pigment onto a black background, and from what I’ve read the black slip was produced by oxidation-reduction-oxidation firing of an iron-rich slip

@AlisonFisk @ZwartblesIE I just looked it up and recently, the technique has been discovered and replicated, but it is a very complex 3 stage Firing process, which I am trying to figure out how 3000 Years ago They discovered these Techniques!!! Gone is the illusion of benighted Persons of the Past!!!

Sipping my coffee ☕️ and thinking about these marvellous Minoan cups! They look so modern it’s incredible to think they were made during the Bronze Age some 3,800 years ago! Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete. 📷 by me #Archaeology

A huge congratulations to our consultant Prof Joann Fletcher, on the opening of her latest exhibition “Cleopatra and the Queens of Egypt” at Experience Barnsley Museum. We are honoured to have been able to loan some of our collection to this wonderful exhibit. #Barnsley #Museums

Now open in brilliant Barnsley 🥰