In the News...

Recently I've had an obsession with the British Museum. I don't know why, I just have. I can tell you that it was founded by Sir Hans Sloane who donated all his curiosities to the government, as long as they gave his children a sum of money in return. It wasn't until recently (1997) that the British Library was a part of, and indeed housed within, the museum.


Yesterday the museum was in the news. Thirty-nine medieval relics were discovered there yesterday. They had actually been in the museum since 1902, but they were inside a German portable altar. It wasn't until yesterday, one hundred and eight years later, did someone think to open it and look inside. There they found alleged remains of John the Baptist, various disciples and Mary Magdalene, among others.

Other antiques were in the press yesterday, but of a somewhat different nature. They were eighteenth century items that were sold for £3,600 in an auction. What were they? Sex toys. They were probably French, which isn't a surprise, really.