Minerva Magazine - November/December 2020

In this issue

FROM ECSTASY TO ENLIGHTENMENT
With transgressive rituals and a central belief that material reality is animated by divine feminine power, Tantra challenges the status quo. But it is often misunderstood. Lindsay Fulcher finds enlightenment at the British Museum.

THE RICHES OF RAVENNA
Inside the churches of Ravenna, gleaming mosaics depict scenes of paradise and the faces of bishops and emperors. These cultural achievements, says Judith Herrin, show that Ravenna was not a declining late antique city, but integral to an emerging new world.

IN THE BEGINNING
Chinese emperors often studied the skies, as it was from celestial powers that they received their ‘Mandate of Heaven’. Dalu Jones explores an exhibition in Geneva that demonstrates how this preoccupation with the cosmos stretches back millennia.

THEBES
Home to fabled figures like Oedipus, the ancient Greek city of Thebes has had a profound cultural impact, yet this city of myths has long been overshadowed by Athens and Sparta. Paul Cartledge reveals why Thebes was forgotten – and why it should be remembered.

WHERE EAGLES DARE
Located in what is now the heart of Mexico City, Tenochtitlan was the thriving capital of the Aztec empire, a ritual and administrative powerhouse, until Hernán Cortés arrived in the 16th century. A touring exhibition, presenting some new finds, examines religion, tribute, and conquest in the Aztec city.

WHAT'S IN THE BOX? PLYMOUTH'S NEW MUSEUM OPENS

stories from the world of archaeology, art, and museums

2 mins

ANGLO-SAXON BURIALS REVEALED

Two excavations in England have revealed important Anglo-Saxon burials, dating back as early as the 6th century AD, that shed light on the different communities living in southern Britain at that time.

2 mins

PARTHENON, ATHENS, 1907

In 1903, the photographer Fred Boissonnas made his first trip to Greece with his frequent collaborator, the writer and art historian Daniel Baud-Bovy.

2 mins

THE RICHES OF RAVENNA

In a small city on Italy’s Adriatic coast, faces of all-powerful emperors, empresses, and bishops gaze out from glittering mosaics. But why are these magnificent decorations here? Judith Herrin explores the history of Ravenna, a well-connected city and one-time capital of the Western Roman Empire.

10+ mins

Thebes City Of Myths

Sparta is famous for its warrior tradition, Athens for its intellectual and artistic achievement. But what of Thebes? As ancient historian Paul Cartledge explains, Thebes too had a most distinctive image.

10+ mins

Rome In The 8th Century: A History In Art

John Osborne CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS, £75 HARDBACK - ISBN 978-1108834582

3 mins

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Minerva Magazine Description:

Now available for iPad, Minerva magazine gives anyone with an interest in archaeology and antiquities a compelling insight into the ancient world. Minerva explores the lost civilisations of the past, from Ancient Egypt to Greece, Rome and the mighty empires of the Middle East and Asia.

For over 25 years, Minerva has revealed record-breaking auction results, exciting new finds, and untold stories of the distant past, spanning the Stone Age to the Dark Ages and beyond.

Each issue includes:
• News of finds and research from around the world
• Original research by international experts
• Reviews of major new exhibitions
• Latest trends and auction reports from the antiquities market
• In-depth features on history’s most fascinating people and events
• Profiles of leading figures from the world of archaeology
• Reviews of new publications and a must-have events diary