Age, Beauty and Snakes

Happy Chinese New Year

Year of the Snake 

Chinese Lantern Plant

I took this photo back in the Autumn. My daughter is learning piano, and this lovely Chinese lantern plant was in her teacher's garden. I love the way it gets more beautiful as it ages (just like some people). Do you know anyone who is getting more beautiful as they get older?

I had a second trip to the British Museum, and on the journey there my son decided what I should try to photograph. He suggested snakes, as it is the Chinese Year of the Snake.

Snakes were much harder to find than I had imagined. At first I had to really hunt to find any. But they were there in nearly every culture. And eventually I did find some ...

in Mesopotania

in Ancient Egypt

and in Egyptian Hieroglyphics

with the Romans

 in China

and an Aztec Rattle Snake

in Africa

and finally in Ancient Greece with some other animals.

I really love this Greek bowl. The painting is so fresh it is hard to believe it is so old.  

In fact the only part of the museum where I couldn't find snakes was Ancient Britain.