Alison Fisk
LightNews LightNews
banner
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Alison Fisk
@alisonfisk.bsky.social
12K followers 3.6K following 1.6K posts
Recent Masters degree in Archaeological Practice at Birkbeck, University of London.
Here to share my love of archaeology.
Posts Replies Media Videos
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Heraclitus was inspired by an ancient Greek decorative theme known as ‘unswept floor’ (asàrotos òikos). He created this mosaic, seemingly covered with scraps of food from a banquet, for the dining room of a villa on the Aventine Hill in Rome. Read more: understandingrome.substack.com/p/the-unswep...
The image shows detail from a Roman mosaic pavement which appears to be scattered with food scraps from a banquet set against a pale tiled background. The food scraps include shellfish such as whelks, fishbones, grapes, a fig, lobster claws, chicken bones, and a small brown mouse nibbling a walnut. Each object casts a shadow creating the illusion of food sitting on the real surface of the floor
November 10, 2025 at 1:43 PM
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Delightful detail from the Roman “unswept floor” mosaic by Heraclitus, showing a mouse nibbling a walnut.

Superb use of darker tiles for subtle shadow effect!

2nd century AD. Vatican Museums www.museivaticani.va/content/muse...

#MosaicMonday
#Archaeology
The image shows detail from a floor mosaic of a brown mouse on a pale background facing left with its nose close to half a walnut in its shell. The mouse has a long thin tail stretched out behind. The mosaicist has used a mix of lighter and darker brown tiles for the mouse’s body to hint at fur. The walnut is created with warmer light and dark brown tiles. Slightly darker background tiles have been used beneath the mouse and walnut to create subtle shadows
November 10, 2025 at 1:07 PM
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Aha yes! As well as little and large there, I also came across this hippo on display in an upstairs gallery at the Louvre! 🦛😍
My photo shows a small ancient Egyptian statuette of a chuncky hippo made of Egyptian faience on display at the Louvre in Paris. It has a bright blue glaze with black painted decoration of aquatic plants such as water weeds from the hippo’s Nile habitat
November 9, 2025 at 5:56 PM
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Here’s my fridge magnet from Copenhagen Glyptotek. Looks similar!
November 9, 2025 at 2:47 PM
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Hippos top L & bottom R: Egyptian Museum, Cairo.
Top R: Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen.
Bottom L: Met Museum New York.
The Met’s hippo is nicknamed ‘William’. Here he is in a recent photo of mine.

Read more about hippos in ancient Egypt on this link: www.metmuseum.org/essays/hippo...
November 9, 2025 at 12:02 PM
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Oh I love that! It’s William! He’s bottom left in my photo collage. Here he is again in a photo I took earlier this year 🦛😍
November 9, 2025 at 11:42 AM
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Happy Sunday! 🦛 💙

Adorable ancient Egyptian blue faience hippos made by artisans some 4,000 years ago!

📷 by me

#Archaeology
My photo collage shows four hippo statuettes made of Egytian blue faience, a ceramic material made of ground quartz. Their bright-blue shiny bodies are decorated in black with depictions of Nile river plants such as water weed and lotus flowers. This decoration depicts their marsh habitat as well as having various layers of symbolism associated with regeneration. For example lotus flowers open in the morning and close at night, symbolising rebirth. Blue faience hippos have been found in Middle Kingdom tombs of high ranking officials. It’s thought they were placed in the tombs to aid the rebirth of the deceased. Hippo top left - Walking hippo shown in profile facing right. Height 11.5 cm, Length 21 cm. Egyptian Museum, Cairo. Top right - Roaring hippo (looks like the hippo is smiling), seated, with head at left and turned inwards to front. Height 7.5 cm, length 12.5 cm. Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen. Bottom left - Standing hippo in profile facing right. This hippo is part of the Met Museum’s collections and is popularly known as ‘William’. Height 11.2 cm, Length 20 cm Bottom Right - Reclining hippo with head on the right, facing front, and tilted down. Egyptian Museum, Cairo
November 9, 2025 at 11:16 AM
alisonfisk.bsky.social
View of the lobster-claw vessel from above 🦞
November 8, 2025 at 4:06 PM
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Me standing next to the basilica wall for scale!
November 8, 2025 at 4:03 PM
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Even 2,500 years ago, people loved a novelty cup! 🦞 🍷 😄

It’s suggested this Ancient Greek terracotta vessel in the shape of a lobster claw was used as a drinking horn at parties!

The Met www.metmuseum.org/art/collecti...

📷 by me

#Archaeology
My photo shows an ancient Greek red-figure terracotta vase with a body in the shape of a lobster claw. The vase is painted with black glaze. On one side are five knobly bumps or ‘spines’, on the other side is painted a red donkey (not shown). The vessel has a vertical neck with funnel-shaped mouth and outsplayed rim. There is a strap handle from the bottom of the neck across the length of the vase which attaches just before the claw’s pincers. The inner side of the pincers is warm red terracotta. Around the handle base there is a decorative red pattern. The vessel is displayed on a pale beige fabric. Dimensions: 7 x 7.3 x 15.9 cm. On display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The Met label reads: Greek, Attic, red-figure, ca. 460 BC. Attributed to the Class of the Seven Lobster-Claws Donkey; keras (drinking horn). Because so many aspects of Greek life depended on the sea, a vase in the shape of a lobster claw is not surprising. It is, however, exceptional and may be a variant of the askos— a bag-shaped oil container provided with a vertical mouth and strap handle. The Dionysiac iconography of the lobster claw suggests that it was a novelty item used at symposia (drinking parties).
November 8, 2025 at 3:43 PM
alisonfisk.bsky.social
This little bird survived a volcanic eruption!

Buried by volcanic ash from Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, this Roman fresco of a little bird pecking at fruit re-emerged looking as delightful as it did some 2,000 years ago!

Villa Poppaea, ancient Oplontis, Italy
📷 by me

#FrescoFriday
#Archaeology
My photo shows detail from a Roman fresco (wall painting) in a corridor at Villa A, the luxurious so-called ‘Villa Poppaea’ at ancient Oplontis (modern day Torre Annunziata) in the Bay of Naples, Italy. The fresco depicts a small light brown bird standing on a small pinky-brown wooden shelf, against a vibrant red background panel. The bird is shown in profile, facing left, with plummage painted in various shades of light brown and grey to beautifully depict detail of its feathers. The bird is lowering its head with beak open, about to peck into a fig on the shelf in front. There are two further figs painted behind the bird which have already been pecked into. The figs are painted light brown. The figs which have already been pecked into have cream flesh and red seeds.
November 7, 2025 at 1:48 PM
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Fabulous Visigothic bronze belt buckles inlaid with cloisonné glass. AD 500s.

Which is your favourite?

From the Visigothic Necropolis of Duratón, near Segovia, Spain.
Casa del Sol Museum, Segovia
📷 by me

#Archaeology
My photos show four ornate Visigothic bronze belt buckles arranged in a 2 x 2 grid. Each buckle has a rectangular plate decorated with colourful glass (red, blue, green) inlaid into metal cells using cloisonné technique, and a chunky curved metal loop and prong. They adorned leather belts which Visigothic women wore over a tunic (probably) as a status symbol. Excavated between 1942 and 1949 by Antonio Molinero from the necropolis of Duratón near Segovia, Spain. They are on display at the Casa del Sol Museum in Segovia.
November 6, 2025 at 4:32 PM
alisonfisk.bsky.social
A 2,000 year-old blue glass wine cup inscribed in Greek ‘EYΦPAINOY EΦωПAPEI’

“Be glad that you are here”

Roman drinking cups like this were used to welcome guests at social gatherings. 1st century AD 🍷

📷 Corning Museum of Glass

#EpigraphyTuesday
#Archaeology
The Corning Museum image shows a small, rounded cup made of deep blue glass. The vessel has smooth horizontal ridges around the body, a short cycindrical neck with outsplayed rim, and a concave base. Around the middle, there is a Greek inscription in a band around the circumference (EYΦPAINOY EΦωПAPEI) It translates as ‘be glad that you are here’. Height 7 cm, diameter (max): 8.8 cm. The cup is displayed on a flat surface against a dark background.
November 4, 2025 at 3:58 PM
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Something lovely for the weekend!

Magical amber animals from the Mesolithic. Carved between 10,000-7,000 years ago.

Amber can generate static electricity⚡️ For their ancient owners, these small animals could give off sparks in the dark and make hair stand on end, as if by magic✨
📷 me

#Archaeology
My photo collage shows four images of small animal figurines carved from amber during the Danish Mesolithic period. Top left: profile photo of the head, neck, and part of the front torso of an animal (bear?) facing left. Carved from deep orange amber. Found at Bølling Sø (lake) Central Jutland, Denmark. Top right: small almost complete figurine of an amber bear seen in profile facing right. The lower legs are incomplete. The ears, muzzle and mouth are defined. Carved from translucent orange amber. Washed up on a beach at Fanø, Denmark. Bottom left: small figurine in the shape of a bear(?) carved from dark orange amber. It is known asvthe Resen Bear. There is fine incised geometric ornamentation on the body. Found in a bog at Resen, Denmark. Bottom left: bright orange amber animal head shown in profile facing left. Found in 1952 at Egemarke in Denmark, it is known as the Egemarke Elk. It is decorated with incised bands of closely aligned parallel zig-zag lines. There are two circular perforations at the bottom of the neck. All on display at the National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen.
November 1, 2025 at 11:01 AM
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Roman glass cups with colourful enamel decoration of animals from the Roman arena. AD 200s.

Found in richly-furnished graves in Denmark. National Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen. 📷 by me

#FindsFriday
#Archaeology
My photo collage shows four images of Roman-era clear-glass cups painted with colourful enamel decoration depicting animals from the Roman Arena. Known as ‘circus cups’, fourteen of which have been found in richly-furnished ‘princely’ graves in Denmark. Dated AD 200s. The top two images show two sides of the same cup. Top left: a brown lion with shaggy mane, its front and rear legs outstretched as if running at full speed. Top right: a green spotted leopard. Out of shot, a blue goat is being hunted down by the lion and the leopard. Bottom left: fragmentary glass cup decorated with a light brown lion with shaggy mane. Nose and lips outlined in black. Bottom right: image of a gladiator with green leggings and blue shield, and in front of him a large brown bear.
October 31, 2025 at 4:38 PM
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Gold bracelets of King Ramesses II. Decorated with two little duck heads. 🦆 🦆 😍

Body lapis lazuli. Dynasty 19. Reign of Ramesses II, 1279-1212 BC.

Found in a hoard of jewels, gold and silver plate, during railway construction at Tell Basta (Bubastis) in 1906. NMEC, Cairo.

📷 by me

#Archaeology
My photos show two gold bracelets, each formed by two semi-circles connected by a hinge and a clip. They have rich granulated ornamentation in a series of geometric patterns. The upper part is decorated with relief heads of two ducks with necks bent forwards and resting on a single body created with lapis lazuli. The tail is decorated with small granules of gold. The cartouches of Ramesses II are engraved next to the fastener (not seen). Max diameter 7.2 cm. Dated Nineteenth Dynasty, Reign of Ramesses II, 1279-1212 BC. Discovered in 1906 with a hoard of jewels and gold and silver plate at Tell Basta (Bubastis) during railway construction works. On display at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo.
October 29, 2025 at 11:28 AM
alisonfisk.bsky.social
A 2,000 year-old Roman mosaic glass bowl with a dazzling swirl of colours resembling a kaleidoscope of tiny flags!

V&A Museum 📷 by me

#Archaeology
My photo shows a Roman-era ribbed mosaic glass bowl standing on a glass shelf in a display case at the V&A Museum. The bowl is hemispherical with vertical ribs and an applied pedestal foot. The glass itself is composed of various combinations of red, white, blue, green and yellow stripes which resemble ribbons or tiny flags. Height 11.5 cm, width 15.5 cm. Other colourful glass pieces are visible in the background.
October 27, 2025 at 2:45 PM
alisonfisk.bsky.social
There’s a pottery shop just around the corner from Heraklion museum which also does good replicas
October 25, 2025 at 3:58 PM
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Here are the five cups together on a display shelf at Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete.

📷 by me 2025
October 25, 2025 at 2:38 PM
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Marvellous Minoan cups made by Bronze Age potters about 3,800 years ago!

Which is your favourite? ❤️

Heraklion Archaeological Museum 📷 by me 🏺

#Archaeology
My photo collage shows five cylindrical Minoan cups each with a single handle and slightly flaring rim. Each cup is decorated with a different geometric polychrome motif: Top left: swirling white vine-like lines and round reddish-orange medallions framed by white circles on a black background. Top right : large white spiral on front of cup with a reddish-orange oval shape with stylised white petals beside it, on a black background. Middle left: diagonal zig-zag stripes in alternating black and white above and below a band around the middle of the cup Bottom left: swirling white lines and reddish-orange and white geometric band on a black background. Bottom right: diagonal white stripes below a row of red dots outlined with white circles on a black background. This type of ornamental Minoan pottery is known as Kamares Ware, named after the Kamares Cave on Mount Ida on the Greek island of Crete where this kind of pottery was first discovered. Kamares Ware vessels were luxury items produced by palace workshops at Phaistos and Knossos on Crete. These five cups were excavated at Phaistos and are dated 1800-1700 BC.
October 25, 2025 at 1:04 PM
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Here’s a close-up view of the wolf’s head from the front.

Link to the museum record:

kulturerbe.kreuz-rad-loewe.de/item:marc-au...
My photo shows a close-up frontal view of the Roman bronze waterspout shaped like the head of a wolf. The wolf has upright, furry, pointed ears, deep-set eyes with an alert expression, and finely carved fur along the forehead and cheeks. It has a long muzzle with well-defined nose and nostrils. Below the mouth is a flared waterspout.
October 24, 2025 at 3:23 PM
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Roman water spout in the shape of a wolf's head.

Beautifully detailed and full of character it looks like a good boy proudly fetching the paper! 🐾 ❤️

Bronze, 2nd century AD. From Trier (Augusta Treverorum), Germany.
Rheinisches Landesmuseum
📷 by me

#FindsFriday
#Archaeology
My photo shows a Roman bronze waterspout designed in the shape of an animal’s head — likely a wolf. The animal’s ears stand upright, the eyes are expressive, and the fur is textured with fine lines around the face and neck. The animal’s mouth is open wide, its jaws gripping the water spout outlet. It resembles a dog fetching a newspaper which gives it an endearing quality The water spout outlet has a flat base which flares outwards, reminiscent of the shape of a dustpan (from a dustpan and brush). Water flowed from the spout into a public water trough or fountain. The bronze is dark brown in colour with a greenish patina in places.
October 24, 2025 at 2:45 PM
alisonfisk.bsky.social
✨The enigmatic Penbryn ‘spoons’ whisper secrets of long-lost rituals of the British Iron Age 2,000 years ago! ✨

Made for knowing rather than eating, these rare ‘spoons’ are thought to be magic objects of divination, used in ceremonies to seek knowledge and foretell events.

📷 by me

#Archaeology
My photo shows a pair of cast bronze spoon-like tools. Each placed on a thin black metal stand in a display case with forest-like backdrop at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. Dated 50 BC-AD 100. The bowl of each ‘spoon’ is oval-shaped and almost flat, with short, ornate handle, ideally-sized to be held between thumb and forefinger. Length 12 cm x width 7.3cm. The bronze has corroded and appears gold and green in colour. The top spoon has a small perforated hole near the rim. The lower spoon is divided into four areas by an incised cross. In the centre of each area is an inlaid dot of a different metal: top left gold, top right uncertain, bottom left bronze (different bronze composition to bowl), bottom right now filled with corroded material. The prevailing theory is that liquid was dripped from the perforated spoon to the other for the purpose of divination to predict future events. They are a rare find, with only 27 individual spoons from 17 pairs found to date, across Britain, Ireland, and France (one pair).
October 23, 2025 at 11:39 AM
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Stunning 2,000 year-old #Roman emerald-green glass boat. From Pompeii.

#Archaeology

📷 British Museum www.britishmuseum.org/collection/o...
A British Museum image of a translucent emerald-green glass vessel in the shape of a shallow boat, displayed on a black surface with light brown background. The boat has curved ends, rising slightly upward. The museum lighting emphasises the translucent dark green colour of the glass. It was ground from a mould-pressed blank, with wheel-cut bands on each side and four triangular feet. Height: 7.6 cm, Length: 22.5 cm. Dated AD 25-50.
October 21, 2025 at 4:16 PM
alisonfisk.bsky.social
The mosaic scene of a bear eating fruit from a tree comes from the corner of a floor mosaic shown here
My photo shows a corner fragment of a floor mosaic. A square scene depicting a brown bear eating fruit from a tree (as described in the alt text in my previous post) is bordered by intricate geometric patterns in black, white, and reddish tones.
October 20, 2025 at 1:19 PM