Thursday, February 7, 2013

More weekend fun

Hi friends! Well I finally got around to creating a Flickr account since that is one of the only ways I can get pictures off my phone. So, I wanted to share my recent visit to the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum and Planetarium, a very fascinating place in downtown San Jose.

This is the sign at the front...

And here are some statues at the front, too.

A statue of the venerable Julius Caesar...

Inside, it was just as nice...

Ancient Egyptians used to keep records on these cuneiform tablets. Usually it would be for things like taxes. It amazes me how they could write on these little tablets that could fit in the palm of your hand.

Of course, they also had other ways of keeping records...

Some samples of papyrus.

They even had the Rosetta Stone there. This is just a model, the original is in the British Museum in London.

One of my favorite features of the museum was this display of vases and vials for holding potions or perfumes. It's incredible that these have been preserved for so long, and it's really fascinating to get a glimpse into the personal lives of Egyptian people and their taste for glass craftsmanship.

I enjoyed seeing these ancient instruments, too.

The staff at the museum were very enthusiastic and helpful. There was a girl who gave a lesson (mostly for children, or "junior archaeologists" as they were termed) about the mummification process, and the museum actually had real live mummies. Don't worry, I didn't take any pictures of *them.* I was really mostly interested in seeing artifacts from their everyday lives, which were undoubtedly much more simple than our own, yet rich with experiences and memories all the same.

Well, until next time... take a moment out of your day or week to enjoy the simple things, like a live performance of someone playing a musical instrument, or a good book, or the beauty of a handmade vase. :)

4 comments:

  1. Wow Jen thanks for this post...the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum and Planetarium, sounds fascinating.

    You've briefly detailed the highlights with your visual aids and observations, beautifly....thanks for including the link to the museum

    You know the Egyptians were a very interesting culture...I noticed with the link that you provided - there's many resources ---> Interactive Timeline, etc.etc.

    I must go for now, hope you have a fabulous weekend (what's left of it)

    (((Hugs))

    M

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    Replies
    1. Hi Meesh,
      Yes, the Egyptians were quite fascinating. They were amazingly sophisticated, technologically. One can only begin to wonder just how they built those pyramids.

      Hope you're having a nice relaxing weekend too.. I'm making some mini-galettes like the kind I featured in my last post :)

      *hugs*

      -Jen

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    2. Yeh speaking of that mouthwatering post(below) must go backwards and re-visit it...when I originally read or looked at it, I didn't have much of an appetite...darn butterflies in my tummy/nerves shattered, at the time. I was hardly eating (then) My favourite jeans are just hanging.

      Feeling a bit more like my old self again...and will be ready to think about food and finding new things to make. So I will go and check it out some more. Thanks for posting that too.

      You're marvelous! ((((Hugs))) Nite nite!

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    3. Yeah, I can see why you felt that way. I'm glad you're feeling a bit like your old self again though. :)
      *hugs*

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