Not only was I invited to demonstrate Viking leatherwork at Queensland Museum's Medieval Power After Dark Exhibition but I also had the chance to look at artefacts that are over a thousand years old.
If it wasn't for my stomach rumbling so loudly and having visions of people running scared, thinking that there was a dragon nearby, I would have stayed in there even longer. :)
Of course I would have to say that the Viking axe head was one of my favourite pieces but it wasn't the only one. The Wingham brooch was absolutely spectacular - made from silver-gilt, niello, garnet, glass and shell; it is dated back to 575-625, from England. Then there were the carved ivory pieces for which I can find no words to describe. The amount of detail and the intricacy just blew me away. I found myself wondering a lot about the tools that they would have used to create such masterpieces. They must have been SO fine! And, there were leather artefacts too!!! The first one I saw was a Medieval shoe (from Italy I think). It was stunning. I stood there for ages looking at it, wishing I could hold it so that I could see it from all angles. Such beautiful craftsmanship. The other leather piece was a boiled leather knife sheath. While not as captivating, for me, as the shoe I still loved being able to see leathercraft from another time and the method used for creating it. Oh, and I nearly forgot the Lewis Chess king, made of walrus ivory, dating back to 1150-1200 and found in Scotland. Wow!!! That's all I'm going to say about it. Just wait until you see it and then you'll know what I mean.
The Queensland Museum will be the first museum in the world and only one in Australia and New Zealand to host this incredible new exhibition curated by the British Museum. It will be running until 10 April 2016.
There will be two more After Dark Exhibitions - 18 March and 8 April.
If you love Medieval things and great craftsmanship, then make sure you don't miss this!!!!
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