A papyrus containing ancient “spells” The Trustees of the British Museum
The British Museum, London. Closes 19 February 2023, then tours to selected UK venues
STEPPING from the British Museum’s bright main atrium into a darkened space, I am confronted by a huge array of cubes. One face of each cube shows a hieroglyph, which you can rotate to find its meaning. I can see all sorts of symbols, from scarabs, owls and hawks to abstract patterns.
It is fun to explore, but also bewildering, with no obvious link between the symbol and…
