Keith R. Amery

Found ourselves outside the house museum and studio of Carlos Relvas in Golega this Afternoon. Relvas was a Portuguese photographer known for pioneering the use of the stereograph image in Portugal. Architecturally unlike anything else in Portugal.

I can die happy now. Last week, thanks to intervention of Francisca Listopad, to whom I will be eternally grateful, achieved ultimate goal of spending half-day at Sociedade de Geografia in Lisbon, photographing sarcophagi & ushabti figures. No, publication isn't substitute but enhances understanding

Mural of Statue of Liberty in shame unveiled in France the day before 4th of July

To those of a scientific nature in need of a laugh, this is, imo, the funniest joke ever written. ('Pyramids', 1989, Terry Pratchett). He even manages to get a second joke in specially for bookworms, by including a footnote within the footnote. "died of acute ankle failure" Genius. 😉

The Museu de Farmacia in Lisbon is closed for refurbishment from 14 July to 8 September, coinciding with the closure and refurbishment of the Gulbenkian Museum, the MNA, and others. Of c.1100 objects in 22 museums, c. 870 of these artifacts are now inaccessible, with <240 objects on public display

Before presenting in Batalha on Sunday last, had breakfast with cafe owner down the road from our hotel, close to the venue 😉

Terry Pratchett always nails it! ("Equal Rites', 1987)

This weekend I was presenting on museums and the "myth" of accessibility at the first international conference on transnational encounters in history, art and patrimony in Batalha, Portugal thanks to the kind invitation of Francisca Gigante & Francisco Teles de Gama, the organisers. To be published.

For people who think I'm just obsessed with Egyptian antiquities, it's true, but here's a "Greek vase" (South-Italian red-figure calyx krater to be exact) from the collection of Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian "Mr Five-Cent" himself, anyway. Photo by me at Foundation headquarters in Lisbon Portugal

Ptolemaic Period relief sculptors trial piece of a Pharaoh's head in profile wearing the blue Khepresh war crown (yes, I know, but it would take too long to explain). Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, Portugal. Photo my own

Late Period alabaster statue of the Judge Bes as a squatting scribe (back view). Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, Portugal. Photo by me.

Late Period alabaster statue of the Judge Bes as a squatting scribe. Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, Lisbon, Portugal. Photo by me

Late Period pair of stained ivory panels from a set of seven, originally part of a chest, depicting male offering bearers bringing goods from all the 'nomes' (districts) of Egypt to the tomb owner, harking back to the Old Kingdom. Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, Portugal. Photo my own

Thirtieth Dynasty of the Late Period Electrum (alloy of gold and silver) anonymous mummy mask representing the flesh and bones of the gods because gold doesn't tarnish. Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, Portugal. Photo by me

Bronze Standard of Djedhor, Late Period, representing the solar barque with shrine atop a crocodile supported on a lotus column. Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, Portugal, temporary exhibition in the Foundation headquarters. Photo by me

Bronze torso of King Pedubast I or II of the Twenty-Third Dynasty from a monumental hollow-cast bronze statue in the Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, Portugal temporary exhibition in the Foundation headquarters. Photo by me.

18th Dynasty, New Kingdom wooden statue of the noble lady Hennuttawy with Gilded weeks collar necklace and holding a Gilded object? Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon temporary exhibition. Photo by me.

11th Dynasty, Middle Kingdom Polychrome Wooden Statue of a High Official. Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, Lisbon, Portugal. Photo my own

11th Dynasty, Middle Kingdom, striding wooden figure of a high official, his arms in position shows he once had a walking stick in his left hand and a staff of office held low before him in his right. Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, Portugal, temporary exhibition. Photo my own.

Old Kingdom relief from the tomb of Princess Meritites, Giza, close to the Great Pyramid of her father, Khufu, whose name is shown in the central cartouche. Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, Portugal, temporary exhibition in Foundation building whilst museum closed for renovation. Photo my own.

Three of eleven Aboukir Medallions (from a total of twenty) acquired by Calouste Gulbenkian. Issued in reign of Roman Emperor Caracalla and celebrating the life of Alexander III (The Great), their purpose is still a question of debate. Temporary exhibition in the Foundation headquarters. Photo by me

Gulbenkian's Red-Figure South-Italian Calyx Krater for mixing wine in temporary exhibition at the Foundation headquarters, whilst the Museum building is closed for renovation until 2026. Photo my own.

Islamic Glass Hanging Mosque Lamp, Egypt or Syria, Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, Lisbon, Portugal, temporary exhibition in the Foundation headquarters building now the museum is closed for refurbishment until 2026. Photo my own.

Unplanned flying visit to Lisbon today saw us ending up at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. Typical of my luck, the Museum is now closed for refurbishment until 2026, but temporary exhibition of highlights in the Foundation headquarters and free this weekend for International Museum Day.

After a solid year of work, finished first draft of guide to museums in Portugal with collections of ancient Egyptian artifacts. A last proof-read then submitting to publisher by the end of today. Please don't ask what happened to Phoenician scarabs and sites. More research needed for another book.

Goddesses on the back of a Ptolemaic era (1st century B.C. - 1st century A D.) cartonnage mummy mask of an anonymous ancient Egyptian noble woman in a private collection for International Women's Day.

Yesterday, full-on 10 hour in person & on-line museums conference for the planned reopening of the Museu Nacional de Arqueologia in Lisbon. Coincidentally, the Gulbenkian will be closing in March for its own renovation. Fortunately for me, updated catalogue including reserve collection also arrived

A year to the day since we bought Romano-Egyptian cartonnage mask from auction in Paris. Conservator has done a fantastic job and one of many writing projects to finish this year is to tell the story from discovery of this "sleeper", the journey to complete restoration and history of these masks

Two rejections in one day, but fortunately, this time a recommendation to submit to another potential publisher who may be a better fit for the "guide" format. At least the right people are taking an interest and offering encouragement. Onwards and upwards hopefully

First rejection from a potential publisher recieved today via email. Yay! They were very polite and practical about it, but after a year or more of research and 100,000 words describing and cross-referencing museum collections in Portugal, most not accessible to the public, it's still disappointing