With the objects in real world height order (tallest at the far end), we attempted to visualise the date data.

Down the lefthand side are the produced/created/made dates.

Down the righthand side the date they were acquired by the British Museum.

Produced/made/created dates

They range from 1500BC to 1950AD. We’ve added some dates in Sharpie now – which helps!

The dates were kind of tricksy. Obviously there are your BCs and ADs, some objects ‘made date’ span a century or two, while others are linked to a civilisation (Mexica for Xochipilli) or a dynasty (18th Egyptian dynasty for Hathor). Luckily brown paper, string and tape are very forgiving. You get the gist right?

Acquisition dates

Love that the tallest was the most recent acquisition, and shortest was the earliest. Not really relevant in any other space than here, just meant we needed a lot of string.

Hot pink

Glad I wore my hot pink trainers to go with the washi masking tape.

And Tom has made this most excellent fly-through: