Alison Fisk
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alisonfisk.bsky.social
Alison Fisk
@alisonfisk.bsky.social
12K followers 3.6K following 1.7K posts
Recent Masters degree in Archaeological Practice at Birkbeck, University of London.
Here to share my love of archaeology.
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To bring a smile to your face, here’s an ancient Egyptian sketch of a tabby cat serving a mouse! 😁

The artist used a flake of limestone as a sketchpad to draw this comic scene some 3,200 years ago.

📷 Brooklyn Museum www.brooklynmuseum.org/en-GB/object...

#Archaeology
This Brooklyn Museum photo shows a sketch made in black ink on a stone-coloured limestone flake (known as an ostracon by Egyptologists). The sketch depicts a scene with a cat and a mouse imitating human behaviour. On the right, a tabby cat is drawn in profile with pointed ears, standing on its hind legs in front of a large mouse seated on a folding stool on the left of the scene. The cat is depicted as a servant; in one paw it holds a fan, and offers a plucked duck, in the other paw it holds a piece of linen cloth. The mouse has drooping breasts, wears a long skirt, has a lotus flower on its forehead, and its long tail hangs down over the back of the stool. The mouse holds a dish, a flower, and cloth (often held by pharaohs). Dimensions 8.9 x 17.3 x 1.1 cm. Dated c. 1295–1075 BC. Animals imitating human behaviour are well-known in Egyptian art. Their meaning is uncertain. Perhaps this sketch is a caricature or illustration of a long-lost fable, perhaps a satire of the royal family, or maybe just a sketch for fun!
December 4, 2025 at 10:48 AM
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Take a closer look at the remarkably well-preserved woven fabric of the Orkney Hood
December 2, 2025 at 12:26 PM
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The incredible ‘Orkney Hood’ from Scotland! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

So well preserved it looks like it was woven yesterday rather than some 1,500 years ago!

It’s thought the hood was made for a child. Found in 1867 in a peat bog in St Andrews Parish, Orkney.

National Museum of Scotland
📷 by me

#Archaeology
My photo shows a museum mannequin wearing a brown-coloured woven woollen hood with a long knotted fringe. The remarkablely well preserved hood was found in a peat bog on the island of Orkney in 1867. Organic clothing rarely survives, but the lack of oxygen in the peaty conditions of the bog served to practically halt its decay. The hood has been radio-carbon dated to between AD 250 and AD 615. On display at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.
December 2, 2025 at 11:19 AM
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Something ancient and wonderful for the weekend! 🤩

The world’s oldest known sculpture of a horse!

This tiny figurine was carved from mammoth ivory by an Ice Age artist some 40,000 years ago!

📷 by me

#Archaeology
My photo shows a profile view of a small horse figurine with head to the left, displayed against a dark background. Sculpted from mammoth ivory, the surface is a mottled greyish-earthy-brown colour with a shiny patina. It was once likely pale white in colour. It measures 2.5 cm height, 4.8 cm width, and 0.7 cm depth. The head is gracefully lowered with a long curving neck and a convex curved back. The four legs are incomplete. The top of the tail remains. The eyes, nostrils, and mouth are carved as indents. The ‘Vogelherd Horse’ was excavated in 1931, together with a number of other ivory animal figurines from the Vogelherd Cave, Swabian Jura, Germany. It is the oldest known sculpture of a horse. On display at the Museum of Ancient Cultures, at Hohentübingen Castle, Tübingen, Germany.
November 29, 2025 at 2:16 PM
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Life on Rome’s northern frontier: a 1,900-year-old military memo in which a Roman soldier records the combat tactics of the Britons, who he refers to as ‘Brittunculi’ — ‘wretched Brits’! 😳

From Vindolanda, Northumberland, 📷 by me

#RomanFortThursday
#Archaeology
My photo shows a thin, rectangular, dark brown leaf of wood, which is broken in places. Across the surface are six lines of cursive Latin handwriting. The text is written in black ink which appears faded and faint. The Latin reads: nenụ ...[.]n. Brittoneṣ nimium multi ‣ equites gladis ‣ non ụtụṇtur equi- tes ‣ nec residunt Brittunculi ‣ ụt ‣ iaculos mittant Translated as: … the Britons are unprotected by armour (?). There are very many cavalry. The cavalry do not use swords nor do the wretched Britons mount in order to throw javelins. On display at the British Museum.
November 27, 2025 at 3:18 PM
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A dog’s paw print on a Roman clay tile 🐾 🐕 😍

About 2,000 years-ago, a dog made its mark for ‘pawsterity’ when it wandered across the wet tile laid out to dry before firing.

From Richborough Roman fort
📷 by me

#TilesonTuesday
#Archaeology
My photo shows a hand-sized, jagged, fragment of Roman red clay tile. There is an impression of a dog’s paw pressed into the clay. The imprint shows four toe pads arranged in an arc above a central pad. Above each toe imprint there is a small indent made by the dog’s claws. The imprint was made when the paw pressed into soft clay when the clay tile was laid out in the yard before firing. The tile fragment is set against a blue display case background. Excavated at Richborough Roman fort. My photo was taken in 2020.
November 25, 2025 at 2:54 PM
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On display at the Met:

www.metmuseum.org/art/collecti...
November 22, 2025 at 9:54 AM
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Yes! The horse in ‘flying gallop’ is the handle of a fly whisk or a light whip. Here’s the object record:

www.metmuseum.org/art/collecti...
November 22, 2025 at 9:51 AM
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A very good boy! 🐾🐕😍

An amazing c. 3,400 year-old ancient Egyptian dog carved from ivory. This leaping dog opens and closes its mouth as if barking by using a lever below its chest.

The Met 📷 by me

#Archaeology
My photo shows a three quarter profile of an ancient Egyptian figurine of a leaping dog facing left. Carved from ivory, now a warm caramel brown colour with glossy surface. The dogs eyes are outlined in black, the ears are floppy, the mouth is slightly ajar (the inside of the mouth is painted red - not sen in my photo). The front and back legs are outstretched as if running at full speed. A lever under the dog’s chest opens and closes the mouth so that the dog looks as if it’s barking. Dimensions: L 18.2 cm × H 6.1 cm × W 3.6 cm. Dated to Late Dynasty I8, I400-I350 BC, reign of Amenhotep III who was Tutankhamun’s grandfather. The dog is mounted on a thin metal rod in a display case. In the background in the same display case is a ‘galloping’ brown horse, which is the handle of an ancient Egyptian fly whisk or light whip.
November 22, 2025 at 9:37 AM
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The Roman military ‘draco’ standard was carried by a ‘draconarius’. The Draconarius Tombstone from Chester (Roman Deva) shows a Sarmatian standard bearer, fighting far from home with the Roman legions.

Grosvenor Museum, Chester. 📷 by me

grosvenormuseum.westcheshiremuseums.co.uk/collections/...
The so-called ‘Draconarius Tombstone’ from Chester (Roman Deva) on display at Grosvenor Museum, Chester. The tombstone is only partially preserved. It shows a Sarmation cavalryman on horseback, wearing a cloak and conical hat, armed with sword, and holding a draco standard. The fabric tube is inflated behind the rider. The portion of stone in the top right corner with the dragon head is missing, as is the lower left portion of the stone with the rear of his horse. The tomb’s inscription is also missing
November 20, 2025 at 9:05 PM
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Roman bronze dragon’s head standard, AD 190-260.

Originally mounted on a pole, with a long fabric tube attached to the back of the head. When charging on horseback, the wind inflated the tube and the dragon shrieked!

Niederbieber fort. Landesmuseum Koblenz. 📷 me

#RomanFortThursday
#Archaeology
My photo shows a Roman bronze dragon’s head from a military standard carried by Roman cavalry. The head is elongated with open jaws. The top and bottom jaws are lined with sharp triangular teeth. The top of the snout has diagonal ridges. It has a single round eye socket. The rear of the head and neck is textured with scales. At the top of the head there is a short, jagged, fin-like, upright crest. The bronze surface is weathered with greenish and gold patches. It is mounted on a dark stand in a museum display case.
November 20, 2025 at 4:39 PM
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Stunning 2,000 year-old #Roman purple glass bottle, probably used for perfume.

📷 Musée d'Art Classique de Mougins

#Archaeology
The museum image shows a rich purple Roman glass bottle. Free-blown with a spherical body, a flat base, and a narrow, slightly tapering cylindrical neck with flaring rim. 13.7 cm in height. The glass appears to have patchy accretions which have built up over time. The display lighting makes the centre of the bottle glow with a reddish light, as if it contains warm embers. Circa 1st century AD.
November 19, 2025 at 12:03 PM
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For #EpigraphyTuesday

Roman pottery with Latin inscriptions, made for wine drinking! 🍷

‘Give us wine!’
‘Fill me up!’
‘Well be to you!’

Trier Region, Late 3rd-early 4th century AD. Landesmuseum Trier 📷 by me

#Archaeology
My photo collage shows three Roman black-slipped pottery vessels with white painted Latin inscriptions and white vine-like flowing decoration set against a rich pinky-purple display case background. These so-called ‘motto beakers’, decorated with wine-themed Latin inscriptions painted in white slip, were produced in the Trier region during the mid 3rd century. They proved very popular and were exported to Britain and the Danube Top image: cylindrical cup with straight sides with narrower base. The dark, almost black surface is decorated with large white letters V M N. The inscription around the cup reads VINIVM NOBIIS DA/ Give us wine! There is a band of rope-like white ornamentation near the rim. Beneath the lettering is a vinemotif with cluster of threeroundish ‘grape’ shapes. There are visible cracks where the cup has been restored. From Trier or surroundings, 280-315 AD. Bottom left: elegant dark jug with a narrow base, rounded body, and long neck that flares outward to a broad lip. A single curved handle connects the neck to the upper body. The decoration includes the large white letters R E P and swirling white scroll ornamentation. The full inscription encircling the jug reads REPLE ME - Fill me up! From Trier, St. Matthias, 280-315 AD. Bottom right: A cylindrical beaker with a narrower base. White lettering near the top reads E N E T I B. The full inscription around the beaker reads B[ENIE T[BI S]|[T] - Well be to you! Beneath the text is a continuous vine-scroll design with stylised leaves or grapes. From Trier, Louis-Lintz-Straße, 260-270 AD.
November 18, 2025 at 3:37 PM
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Something lovely to start the week! 🐙🏺❤️

Ancient clay pots with octopus decoration, made by artisans from Bronze Age Crete some 3,500 years ago!

Heraklion Archaeological Museum 📷 by me

#Archaeology
My photo collage shows four pottery vessels, all a creamy yellow in colour, with black painted decoration depicting underwater sea-life featuring lively stylised octopuses with writhing tentacles (arms), All on display at Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete. Top L - Minoan pithoid storage jar decorated in the “Marine Style” with wide-eyes octopus, argonauts, rocks, and coral. Rounded top tapering down to a narrower base. Short cyclindrical neck flaring out at the mouth with black wavy decoration reminiscent of waves. Loop handles attached to the shoulders of the body. Height 55 cm. From Zakros. 1500-1450 BC Top R - Minoan flask with a rounded body, short cyclindrical neck which flares at the rim, and two small curved handles attached between the top of the spout and the shoulders of the body. Decorated in “Marine Style” which depicts an almost cartoon-like octopus with wide eyes and sucker-lined tentacles which writhe around the vase. Other decorative sea-motifs include sea urchins, seaweed and rocks. Height 27cm. From Palaikastro, 1500-1450 BC Bottom L - alabastron, broad at the base, swelling outwards into a fuller belly before narrowing near the top with a very short cyclindrical neck and a wider flat rimmed mouth. Decorated in “Marine Style” with a wide-eyed octopus among rocks. From Knossos Little Palace, 1450-1370 BC Bottom R - krater with rounded body narrowing at the bottom towards the foot. Wide flaring mouth and rim with black painted wavy decoration, and two sturdy handles attached on each side between the top of the mouth and shoulders of the vessel. Decorated with a central very stylised wide-eyed octopus whose tentacles loop up and down around the body of the pot, 1370-1300 BC
November 17, 2025 at 11:04 AM
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Artist’s painting of an acrobatic dancer on a flake of limestone, c. 1292 - 1077 BC.

Around 3,000 years ago in ancient Egypt, artists used stone fragments for painting and drawing instead of paper sketchpads!

From Deir el-Medina. Museo Egizio, Turin 📷 by me

#Archaeology
My photo shows a limestone fragment measuring 17 cm x 11.5 cm x 4 cm with a painting of a female dancer shown in profile performing an acrobatic back bend. The girl has long wavy/crimped black hair which falls down to the ground. She is wearing large gold circular earrings and a black kilt with decorative red and white pattern which is tied at the front around her hips. This limestone fragment comes from the Workers Village of Deir el-Medina which housed the artisans who worked on the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings. Flakes of limestone were readily available as by-products of tomb construction. They were used by artisans as sketch and note pads for practice drawings, sketching, writing poetry etc.etc. These stone flakes are known by Egyptologists as ostraca, (singular: ostracon). Thousands of ostraca have been found at Deir-el Medina.
November 15, 2025 at 4:05 PM
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For #Caturday

Behold the mouse! 🐭🐈

So says the inscription on this #medieval badge of a cat with mouse in mouth!

Lead alloy, circa 1300-1500.

📷 British Museum www.britishmuseum.org/collection/o...

#Archaeology
The image shows a small medieval-era metal badge in the shape of a cat carrying a mouse in its mouth. The cat has a long body shown in profile with head to the left. It’s head is turned towards the viewer. It has upright pointed ears and a stylized face which looks somewhat human with eyebrows, round eyes, and a snub nose. From its mouth hangs the body of a small, limp mouse. Carved lines on the cat’s body represent fur. It stands on four thin legs, all attached to a narrow scroll-shaped base, inside which is written the inscription YI SIS MUS / Behold the Mouse. The S's in the inscription are reversed. Mould-made from lead-alloy. Length 2.54 cm. British Museum collection.
November 15, 2025 at 11:12 AM
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From Bronze Age Wales, the spectacular Mold Cape! 🤩

An incredible ancient feat of sheet-goldworking, beaten from a single gold ingot some 3,600 years ago!

The extraordinary embossed decoration is said to mimic strings of beads.

📷 by me

#FindsFriday
#Archaeology
My photo shows the ‘Mold Cape’ on an upright metal stand inside a British Museum display case. It is a Bronze Age object made of thin hammered gold. The sheet gold is curved and looks like a stiff, rounded poncho. The surface is densely decorated with rows of repeating patterns made of circular bosses and lozenges, which run horizontally around the cape. These are thought to imitate strings of beads. The gold is a deep, warm colour which shines in the display lighting. Cracks and repaired sections are visible. The Mold Cape would be worn over the chest and shoulders. Arm movement would be restricted due to the rigidity of the gold. This amazing artefact was discovered in 1833 by workmen digging for stone in a burial mound at Bryn yr Ellyllon, (Hill of the Goblins) near Mold in Flintshire.
November 14, 2025 at 1:21 PM
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Adorable cat netsuke with eyes closed and an expression of contentment!

Purrfect! 😻

Circa 1820-1840, Edo period, Japan,

📷 © The Trustees of the British Museum www.britishmuseum.org/collection/o...
This British Museum image shows a Japanese netsuke (toggle) carved from ivory in the shape of a cat wearing a collar. The cat’s body is rounded and compact. It is curled up with its legs tucked beneath it, and its tail wrapping around the back of its body. Its eyes are closed, and the face has a contented expression. The fur is intricately carved to show texture. The face paws and collar are lighter in colour contrasting with the darker fur of the body.
November 13, 2025 at 2:18 PM
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This remarkable vessel was found in a female burial (Grave O, Grave Circle B, Mycenae, Greece) during 1952-54 excavations. It was found in several pieces and has been reconstructed. Read more about Grave Circle B on this link:

www.e-mycenae.org/grave-circle...
November 12, 2025 at 1:53 PM
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Luxurious duck-shaped vessel carved from a single piece of rock crystal around 3,500 years ago!

From Bronze Age Mycenae, it is said to be an exquisite example of imported Minoan stoneworking. Probably used to hold oils or cosmetics.

National Archaeological Museum Athens Greece

📷 me

#Archaeology
My photo shows a small pouring vessel carved in the shape of a duck from a single piece of clear rock crystal. The handle is formed from the duck’s gracefully curved neck and head which turns backwards towards the body of the vessel so that the beak rests on the rim of the bowl. The duck’s body forms the bowl of the vessel which is oval in shape and tapering inwards towards the tail which forms a pouring spout. Measurements: length 13.2 cm, height 4.2–4.7 cm. This unique vessel was found in a female burial; Grave O, Grave Circle B, Mycenae, Greece, during the 1952-54 excavations. It was found in several pieces and has been reconstructed. On display at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.
November 12, 2025 at 11:53 AM
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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
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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
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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
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Here’s my fridge magnet from Copenhagen Glyptotek. Looks similar!
November 9, 2025 at 2:47 PM
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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