Antiquities Collection

Treasures from Classic Cultures
Antiquities from ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, Mesopotamia and surrounding areas have been collected since ancient times and were often the result of invasions and wars, carried home as booty. In Europe, a well-rounded education generally included the classic languages – Greek and Latin, as well as Hebrew, and perhaps Arabic – together with knowledge of the history of these cultures. As a result, people started to collect "curios" and antiquities from these "classical" cultures, often placing them in their libraries, or as part of the interior decorations in their homes.
There were many different collecting fads and fashions, which included Egyptian, Greek and Roman statuary and tomb artifacts, as well as precious gold and silver objects. Many items from such classical antiquity collections eventually found their way into museums, through gifting, estate settlements, or from sales. The holdings of the British Museum include numerous antiquities assembled in such a manner over many generations.