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Ghosts of the British Museum
By Noah Angell
Published by Octopus (Hachette Australia)
ISBN 9781800961340
This is a fascinating book with some rather spine chilling moments that made me think, whaat??
If you say you don’t believe in ghosts that is understandable, but once you have read the many and varied experiences from staff who work in the different departments from warders to respected curators to cleaners, the people who work the night shift and some visitors who shared their personal experiences with the author for this book, you may just change your mind.
When the author made it known he was writing this book he was inundated with stories.
Some well known people including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Charles Dickens been associated with these stories about the ghosts in the British Museum.
In the style of a travelogue Artist Noah Angell uncovers snd explains what lies within the walls in the dedicated galleries.He takes the reader on a virtual tour to the public areas and below ground were only some staff who work in the British Museum are permitted. He explains that there are an extraordinary amount of body parts, skeletons and religiously important items that the public never get to see, some for fear of their controversial nature and what could happen if they were on display.
From a reader’s perspective this book is a delight to read. The author explains situations clearly and writes to appeal to an intelligent audience. You may find there are some unfamiliar words as they relate to museums, however a quick look in a dictionary or online is worthwhile.
Some people who agreed to be interviewed and discuss their experiences wished to remain anonymous as they still work at the museum or simply want anonymity. However, they do give some startling insights and interesting history relating to the original site which explains why some of these apparitions occur.
One of these examples occurred when someone working in the staff only areas had a pebble thrown towards them could feel someone or a presence nearby in the room, yet there was nobody else there. The disturbing presence was so strong she quickly grabbed her belongings and left. When she related this to a colleague he had the same things happen, except the pebble hit him on the head.He ran out of the room as fast as he could, it was quite a mind boggling account.
One of the warders thoughts struck a chord, when they explain that when you play a violin, the violin retains your energy and the energy of the people who have played the instrument. This appears to be true about many artifacts in the British Museum. Perhaps this explains the consequences that occur after dark around the Elgin Marbles and the many items taken from ancient Greece. Reading about Lord Elgin, it was pleasing to see he got his just desserts in the end but Greece is still waiting for the return of what is theirs. Likewise for many countries around the world and their artefacts.
One can’t help wondering why items such as the first ever item, the Gweagal shield, a narrow leaf shaped shield, taken by Sir Joseph Banks from Yuin Australian upon his arrival has not yet been returned and sits in a glass case near a bust of Sir Joseph Banns.
As the author explains many items like these taken from many countries including important African and American artifacts remain in the British Museum. Could it be and it certainly seems plausible that the spirits of several of these items including skeletal bones and other other body parts that want to be reunited with those in their home countries. If they were reunited it would be interesting to know if these ghosts continued to wandering made their presence known in the British Museum
Most of us know about the horrors of slavery in the sugar plantations in the Caribbean island - I have read and reviewed a few books on this topic which you will find on this website, but I was unaware as to the extent of the abject cruelty the British imposed upon their slaves. It was quite horrifying to read and I wondered given the topic of the live spirits in this book, just how much of these spirits of these poor suffering people travelled through to their descendants.
The author also goes into some background to the recent problems within the Britsh Museum, issues with the former Director and how somethings were kept quiet
Ghost of the British Museum is fascinating, enjoyable and informative reading.
The Author
Noah Angell is a writer and artist who works with orally transmitted forms such as storytelling and song. His work has taken him to Norway in partnership with Polarmuseet to work with first hand accounts with Inuit who first performed in ethnographic displays. He was born in the North Carolina, USA and has lived in London and currently lives in Berlin.
This is independent review, I am not paid by the publishers, so.If you
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