While two of the Norfolk Museums folk play the "You look down; I'll look up, then we'll change round and start a nod-a-thon" game, Tim notices some Tudor graffiti that was hidden within the floor thickness and inexplicably gives a Nazi salute.
Looks like I'll be putting in yet another section of glass floor to display this from up above. Some nice sideways lighting to bring out the relief more sharply and an explanatory touch-screen doohickey.
There appear to be two sets of figures kneeling at a crucifixion, one with the traditional Catholic Christian cross and one with the Greek Orthodox cross, plus an angry-looking man brandishing a sword above his head. No doubt we'll learn more once it's carefully cleaned and recorded.
More scratchings from the Tudor torture chambers, including what looks like Balthasar, Melchior and Gaspar on the way to the Life of Brian film set … "Following a star? Following a bottle more like!"
Plus some swords, crosses, heraldic devices and a couple of unfortunate cement plaques from "10/9/31" which would have been the tenth of September, 1831 just as Salvin was re-facing the keep.
More from the pages of history as we turn them …
8 comments:
Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. This is heart-stopping stuff, isn't it? I imagine everyone on the premises must have felt thrilled at this discovery. Incredible.
It's been a groovy week, Petrea. Next up: cleaning, recording, protection and display.
We knew from past records that there was some graffiti hidden there and we already had some carved into the King's Chapel walls but there was more than we thought, so the glass floor drawings are now being updated to suit.
Picture if you will the sober museum folk jumping up and down and squealing and you'll get some idea of what it's been like.
Oh I'll bet! I was jumping up and down squealing here in California!
Don’t start an earthquake! How’s the weather there? The news here says that Katie might have to swim for it. Mercifully she’s a swim team girl.
We got rain in southern California. A blessing here. Katie got a STORM.
Wow this is VERY exciting news from the castle! The graffiti in the torture chamber is spectacular! How cool would it be to make pencil tracings of those fabulous images and put them on a scarf or t-shirt or something. I'd buy that!
And yes we had a doozy of a rain storm on Sunday. I put on my rain gear and went out for a walk early in the day and rivers were already rushing down the hilly streets. I've never seen anything like that in my 18 years here in Berkeley. Today it's sunny and 71 degrees. Go figure!
The rain must have been lovely, Petrea. Let's hope it comes more often with the climate crisis.
Sounds like a real adventure, Katie. So glad you didn't get washed downhill into the Bay. The news coverage here was spectacular and scary.
The graffiti from the Chapel was already on merchandise before we demolished the shop; no doubt there will be some new stuff to reflect what we found during the works. The Museum folk are pretty savvy with their merchandising.
One of my favourites parts of their website lets you sponsor an item. Stephen Fry is in charge of that. Your name goes on a little plaque beside the display. The good part is that they've got things like a "bastard sword" and a "bollock blade" (a small, concealed, curved knife for slicing off your opponent's bollocks) and they make a point of having lots of gross stuff for the kiddies. Fun!
So cool that there's already graffiti merchandise on sale! I'll be sure to exit through the gift shop when I'm able to visit. I'll check out the website now as that sounds like a hoot. Hmm, who needs a bollock blade for Christmas?
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