| EssexWorks: Promoting a Year of Culture for Essex |
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ESSEX WELCOMES THE GUARDIANS TO THE KING The 2,000 year old Chinese terracotta figures which will form one of the biggest and highest profile exhibitions of the summer have arrived at Colchester Castle Museum. The 43 figures, which will form the Guardians to the King exhibition , have been loaned by Xuzhou Museum in Jiangsu Province of China and have been flown over in crates ready to be viewed by the UK public for the first time on Saturday. Each figure has been carefully packed and must be delicately handled by the museum experts from both China and Colchester. The figures will be placed in groups inside special display cabinets which keep the atmosphere at a constant temperature and humidity. This unique exhibition has been made possible by Essex County Council’s 20 year partnership with the Jiangsu Province which has enabled Colchester Castle Museum and Xuzhou Museum to exchange antiquities. County Councillor, Jeremy Lucas, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Heritage, Culture and the Arts, said: “It is wonderful to see these exquisite figures here in Colchester and to have a unique glimpse at them being handled and delicately placed on display. This is a real coup for Essex and for Colchester and I am very proud to see the fantastic work going on here today.” The Guardians to the King are a collection of figurines which have been excavated from tombs in Xuzhou over the past 25 years. There are thought to be thousands of figures still to be discovered. They date from the first part of the Han Dynasty, known as the Western Han Dynasty 206BC – AD8. Tom Hodgson, Community History Manager at Colchester Castle Museum, explained: “The figures represent the entire court of the Kings of Chu, the dancers, musicians and soldiers and were buried in the Kings’ tombs to serve them in the afterlife. Tombs also contained other riches such as jade and gold objects.” He added: “It is vital that the figures are handled carefully and that each one is stored at a maintained temperature and humidity. We have also had the kind help of our colleagues from Xuzhou Museum who have been invaluable in helping us position and stand the figures. It is a very exciting day for Colchester Castle and I hope as many people as possible will come along and enjoy this fascinating exhibition.” The Guardians to the King opens to the public on Saturday 19 July at 10am. For advance ticket sales go to www.visiteastofengland.com/guardians. The exhibition is part of Essex County Council’s Essex Jiangsu Festival, the biggest ever celebration of Chinese culture the county has ever enjoyed. For more information on the events and performances taking place in your area see the website at www.essex-china.org. |