Roman dodecahedron

A few years ago, we bought my father a sundial. It was a decent 18th-century style reproduction in lead – something he had wanted for a very long time – and then, inevitably, he asked me to help him s

BETTANY HUGHES on bringing seven magnificent monuments to life

So much more than simply a functional surface to eat off, the plate is having a moment. From an exquisite invitation to an artistic nod to ancient mythology and a pioneering way to protect the craft of pottery, here are three examples of trailblazing tableware that we just love

A cut-crystal bed, with associated mirrors and throne, sparkled at auction earlier this month, but no glamour could beat the prize that was the Union Flag flown by HMS Spartiate at the Battle of Trafalgar

1 C erne Abbas Giant almost lost his ...

What the scientists are saying… The oldest ...