Minerva Magazine - September/October 2020

In this issue

TREASURES OF THE SCYTHIAN KINGS They were the fabled nomadic warriors of the Eurasian steppe. But for centuries their culture remained tantalisingly obscure – a result of their peripatetic lifestyle. In a major new study, the eminent archaeologist Barry Cunliffe pieces together the evidence about this most mysterious of ancient peoples. THE TEMPLES AT ABU SIMBEL Unearthed by the great showman Belzoni in the early 19th century, then moved wholesale in the later 20th century, the Great and Small Temples at Abu Simbel are among Egypt’s most extraordinary sights. Nigel Fletcher-Jones narrates the history, both ancient and modern, of the twin monuments to Rameses II and his wife. WAITING FOR THE EMPEROR Imperial ideology and Classical archaeology collided headlong during the reigns of Napoleon I and Napoleon III. Dalu Jones reveals how ambition and a genuine interest in the past helped to forge their link to Rome’s illustrious imperial past. THE TENTH MUSE A founding-member of the Royal Academy in London, Angelica Kauffman did not follow convention, but instead achieved success in her own right. Lucia Marchini charts the career of a groundbreaking portraitist and history painter. SAVING NOTRE DAME In April 2019, a devastating fire blazed through Notre Dame in Paris. As Christa Lesté-Lasserre reports, scientists are now working to revive the historic building – and making exciting discoveries along the way.