Another room in the museum currently covers Bronze-Age Britain and the early Iron Age in Europe, much of which was then occupied by the Celts. There were fine craftsmen in Britain at this time, and their skill is reflected in items such as the two bronze shield fronts, the Battersea Shield and Witham Shield. Both date from the 1st or 2nd century BC, and both were found in rivers. The Museum Guide says there have been suggestions that armour and weapons may have been thrown into the water as offerings to the gods. A splendid bronze helmet, the only horned Iron-Age helmet so far found in Britain, was dredged up from the Thames near Waterloo Bridge. The owner must have been very powerful and the horns possibly symbolized strength. The helmet was probably only worn on ceremonial occasions.

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Other examples of excellent craftsmanship are the golden necklaces of the 1st century BC. The great majority came from East Anglia and Queen Boudicca of the Iceni almost certainly wore something like this. The finest of them all, found at Snettisham, Norfolk, in 1950, is a stunning ornament.

Workmen digging a gas main in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, in 1965 uncovered a rich cremation burial, probably that of an Iron-Age chieftain. The British Museum dates this from the end of the 1st century BC, and a reconstruction at the gallery shows it contained pottery, metal vessels, and a unique set of decorated glass game pieces. I enjoyed this display especially, as it is set at eye-level, which creates the distinct feeling that you are standing in the middle of the burial, transported back to the 1st century.

The British Museum has many superb collections and once all these prehistoric artefacts are adequately displayed in their new homes, they’ll be an amateur historian’s dream.

THE BRITISH MUSEUM’S FUTURE

The British Museum is always worth a visit, and until now, it has always been free. But these are tumultuous times for Britain’s famous institution. Director Dr. Robert Anderson faces a £l.3 million cut in the museum’s 1997 government subsidy, which should have covered essential operational costs. The British Library, which currently pays £3.5 million in annual rent, will soon relocate, eliminating this valuable source of income.

Last November, the London Times reported that Dr. Anderson was considering the introduction of a £5 admission charge this year, and quoted him as saying ‘I desperately want to avoid charging, but ultimately we have to accept that it is a possibility. Staff cuts are almost inevitable.’ The same article stated that staff cuts could run as high as 20 per cent and that the museum may be forced to close some rooms. Readers planning a visit in 1997 will be relieved to hear that as we go to press with this issue, Dr. Anderson has decided to defer the introduction of an admission fee for now.

In order to offset the impending crisis, the newly founded British Museum Development Trust, headed by HRH The Princess Margaret, is raising funds for capital projects. One of its most ambitious aims is the redevelopment of the Great Court and the Round Reading Room (the former home of the British Library). Some £60 million will be spent on this project and it is scheduled for completion in the year 2000.

Emphasizing the need for help with operational costs, Dr. Anderson says in the Times article: ‘People only donate money for things that can be seen, not for salaries or mending roofs.’ He says the Great Court scheme will be financed by both a National Lottery grant and private sector contributions.

The development programme is also providing major new permanent displays including a series of rooms for the Prehistoric and Romano-British collections, with the Weston Gallery of Roman Britain scheduled to open this summer. *

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