To shed light on the luxurious lifestyle of ancient civilizations in the Middle East, Hong Kong Museum of History presents an exhibition entitled “An Age of Luxury: the Assyrians to Alexander” featuring around 210 exhibits from the British Museum, including metalwork, stone wall reliefs, ivory items, gems and jewellery.
A wall relief depicting the conquest and looting of an Elamite city by Assyrian soldiers
A fish-shaped perfumed oil flask made from a hammered sheet of gold
Objects offered at the exhibition are meticulously selected from the collections of the British Museum. Highlights include a wall relief that depicts the conquest and looting of an Elamite city by Assyrian soldiers, a fish-shaped perfumed oil flask made from a hammered sheet of gold, kohl bottles and pots, the Hellenistic jewellery item "Herakles knot", and decorative plaques carved in elephant ivory. Ancient counterfeited luxurious items will also be displayed. 。
A bull-headed drinking cup
The early coins
The period from 900 to 300 BC was an age when such luxurious goods were made and traded from India to the Mediterranean. Mighty empires, the Assyrians, Babylonians and Achaemenids, created elites that demanded exotic, luxurious and opulent objects to display their social status. As a result, cheaper imitations of luxury goods were also created.
A bowl made by recreating ancient glass working techniques
The British Museum has launched the world tour of this blockbuster exhibition and it is open to the public in Hong Kong from 9 May to 3 September. Sponsored by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the exhibition does not require additional admission fee so visitors only have to pay HK$10 for the entrance fee to the Hong Kong Museum of History.
Other highlighted exhibits
Flask for perfumed oil, 500 – 400 BC｜Takht-i Kuwad, Tajikistan
Wall Panel Relief, 645 – 635 BC｜North Palace, Nineveh, Iraq
Coin depicting Alexander the Great, 306 – 281 BC｜Pergamum, Turkey
Carved vessel, 700 – 600 BC｜Isis Tomb, Vulci, Italy
Decorative plaque, 900 – 700 BC｜Fort Shalmaneser, Nimrud, Iraq
An Age of Luxury: the Assyrians to Alexander
Period: 2018/5/9 - 9/3
Venue: Hong Kong Museum of History
Hong Kong Museum of History
Opening hours:
Monday to Wednesday, Friday｜10am - 6pm
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays｜10am - 7pm
(Closed on Tuesday, except public holidays)
Address: 100 Chatham Rd S, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
Admission:
Standard｜HK$10
Group｜HK$7 (20 or more standard tickets)
Concessionary｜HK$5 (Full-time student/senior citizen/people with disabilities (and one accompanying carer)
Enquiries: (852) 2724 9042