Fancy diving into something special? Even if ancient history isn’t usually of interest to you, this exhibition should go to the top of your list. The British Museum is currently showing the discovered artefacts from the lost cities of Canopus and Thonis-Heracleion, entitled ‘Sunken Cities’, found in diving expeditions during the 1990s in the Mediterranean. This effort is, in itself, is something to be marvelled at, and what is more, the exhibition itself is just mesmerising. It offers new and exciting opportunities to look closer at the artefacts that were situated at the heart of the trading centre of these cities. From enormous statues of the Monarchs of the era to the beautifully crafted gold jewellery traded at the time, these under-water hidden treasures have been stunningly preserved. One can interpret myths and legends, political tensions and sacred religious practices from these buried treasures.
The museum has put huge effort into providing informative and insightful displays together for the majority of the public with little knowledge of the period. Whilst the additional artefacts taken from Egyptian museums for this exhibition create a gentle flow through the exhibit and allows for appropriate contextualisation of the era, it is the preserved faces of the monarch heads, gently floating eerily in the water that make this display so captivating. Audiences can’t help but be moved by these amazing discoveries from cities as old as 12th century BC. So why not introduce a bit of culture to your weekend and indulge in something incredible.