双语介绍-大英博物馆.doc

博物馆全攻略:大英博物馆

When the British Museum opened in 1753, it was the world’s first national public museum, free (as it still is) to all “studious and curious persons.” It contains a breathtaking collection of over 8 million objects that paint an interconnected portrait of the world’s cultures. But it also epitomizes the long British traditions of exploration, quirkiness and obsessive collecting. You could spend weeks here. But don’t worry; we’ll guide you through.

大英博物馆于1753年对外开放，是世界上第一个国立公共博物馆，免费（至今仍然如此）对所有“勤奋与好奇的人”开放。它的藏品达到惊人的800多万件，为多种世界文化描绘出一幅彼此相联的画卷。但它也体现了英国长期以来探索、怪趣与收藏癖的悠久传统。你可以在这里一连呆上几个星期。但是不要担心：我们可以为你做个向导。
Five Must-Sees
五个必看之处
If you don’t have time to idly wander, start your visit with these collections.
如果你没时间到处闲逛，那就从这些藏品开始吧。
THE KEY TO THE ANCIENT WORLD
通往古代世界的钥匙
The Egyptian Galleries | Room 4
埃及馆 | 4号展厅
This long, spectacular gallery, stretching almost the length of the museum’s west side, houses sculptures and artifacts from about 3,000 years of ancient Egyptian civilization. It features spectacular busts, elaborately engraved sarcophagi and the museum’s most popular exhibit — the Rosetta Stone, dating from 196 B.C. and inscribed with near-identical texts in three scripts, which allowed linguists to develop an understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphs through comparison.
这个长而壮观的展馆几乎贯穿整个博物馆西翼，藏有横跨3000年古埃及文明的雕塑与文物。其中有壮观的半身像、精心雕刻的石棺，以及博物馆最受欢迎的展品——罗塞塔石碑(Rosetta Stone)，它大约来自公元前196年，以三种文字刻着几乎相同的文本，令语言学家能够通过比较来发展对埃及象形文字的理解。
Why It’s Must See: These exhibits give an instant idea of the magnificence, ambition and sophistication of ancient Egyptian culture.
必看原因：这些展品能令人立刻了解到古埃及文化的宏伟、抱负与复杂性。
What to Look For: A giant sculpture of a scarab beetle, with tenderly carved and curving legs, and an enormous bust of Ramesses II, which inspired Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem “Ozymandias.”
看点：一座巨大的圣甲虫雕塑，有着柔和的线条和弯曲的腿，还有一座巨大的拉美西斯二世(Ramesses II)半身像，正是它启发珀西·比希·雪莱(Percy Bysshe Shelley)写下了《奥兹曼迪亚斯》(Ozymandias)这首诗。
Nearby: Adjacent to the long Egyptian gallery is part of the museum’s Middle East collection. In Room 6, you’ll find the incredible human-headed, winged lion statues (883-859 B.C.) that formed the gates to the throne room of King Ashurnasirpal II of Assyria (which we now call northern Iraq). And yes, they do have five legs, because they were designed to be seen either from the front or from the side.
附近：长长的埃及馆旁边是博物馆中东藏品的一部分。在6号展厅里，可以看到不可思议的人面狮身有翅雕像（公元前883-859年），它们构成了通往亚述（今伊拉克北部）的阿淑尔纳西尔帕王二世(King Ashurnasirpal II)王座宫殿的大门。是的，它们有五条腿，因为它们是被设计为从正面或侧面观看的。
ART AND MYTH IN ATHENS
雅典的艺术与神话
The Parthenon Sculptures | Room 18
帕台农(Parthenon)神殿雕塑 | 18号展厅
These beautiful friezes and sculptures formed part of the Parthenon on the Acropolis of Athens, built between 447 and 438 B.C. They were removed in 1805 by Lord Elgin, the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, in an attempt to save them from further degradation, but the British Museum’s possession of the Elgin Marbles, as they came to be called, has long been a subject of intense controversy.
这些美丽的中楣横条(friezes)和雕塑曾经是雅典卫城帕台农神殿的一部分，该神殿于公元前447到438年之间建成。1805年，英国驻奥斯曼帝国大使埃尔金勋爵(Lord Elgin)为保护它们免遭进一步损坏，将它们拆下来带走，此后它们便被称为埃尔金大理石雕，但是大英博物馆对它们的所有权一直存在激烈的争议。
Why It’s Must See: These intricately carved friezes and stand-alone sculptures offer a richly detailed portrait of Athenian society and mores.
必看原因：这些雕刻精美的中楣横条以及独立存在的雕塑丰富详尽地描绘出雅典的社会风貌与习俗。
What to Look For: The riveting horse’s head, with its bulging eyes and veined cheeks, exhausted from drawing the chariot of the moon across the night sky.
看点：雕塑上迷人的马头，眼珠凸起，面颊上血脉贲张，它拉着月神的战车飞过夜空，已经筋疲力尽。
Nearby: The Nereid Monument, a large Lucian tomb found at Xanthos (in modern Turkey), in the adjacent Room 17 and is a wonderful melding of Greek and Middle Eastern figures, with nereids (mythical sea nymphs), a Persian king and a Greek army all depicted on its decorative panels.
附近：旁边的17号展厅内有涅内伊德碑像(The Nereid Monument)，以及在桑瑟斯古城（Xanthos，位于现在的土耳其）发现的一个巨大的卢西安(Lucian)坟茔，这座展厅是希腊与中东文物的精彩融合，装饰板上描绘着涅内伊德（神话里的海中仙女）、波斯国王和希腊军队。
THE INVENTION OF PORCELAIN
瓷器的发明
Chinese Ceramics (Sir Percival David collection) | Room 95
中国陶瓷（珀西瓦尔·大维德爵士[Sir Percival David]收藏） | 95号展厅
This stunning collection of Chinese ceramics is outstanding for its beauty, rarity and historical value. Some pieces date back to the invention of porcelain around 2,000 years ago.
这个令人惊叹的中国瓷器系列以其美丽、稀有和历史价值而闻名。一些展品可追溯到2000年前瓷器刚刚发明出来的时代。
Why It’s Must See: The gallery has more than 1,700 examples of breathtaking beautiful ceramic objects, both practical and fanciful.
必看原因：展厅内有超过1700件陶瓷器物，既有实用器，也有供人赏玩之物，它们的美丽令人惊叹。
What to Look For: The David Vases, probably the most important blue-and-white porcelain pieces in existence, have inscriptions near their tops that date them to 1351. Sir Percival David reunited the vases in 1935, after buying them from two separate collections.
看点：大维德花瓶(The David Vases)，可能是现存最重要的青花瓷器物，其顶部附近的铭文表明它们的年代可以追溯到1351年。1935年，珀西瓦尔·大维德爵士分别从两个收藏家手中买下它们，令这对花瓶重聚。
Nearby: Next to the ceramics gallery is Room 67, devoted to Korean culture and tradition from 300 B.C. to the present. It has an eclectic range of objects, including metalwork, drawings, painting, ceramics and calligraphy, and is well worth a look, even if just to see the re-creation of a saranbang, or traditional scholar’s study.
附近：瓷器展厅旁边是67号展厅，专门收藏公元前300年至今的朝韩文化与传统物品。藏品内容非常广泛，包括金属制品、书画，以及陶瓷，非常值得一看，即使只是看看重建的舍廊坊（saranbang，传统学者的书房），也是值得的。
A SPECTACULAR ARCHEOLOGICAL DISCOVERY
考古大发现
Sutton Hoo Ship Burial | Room 41
萨顿胡船葬(Sutton Hoo Ship Burial) | 41号展厅
The 1937 discovery of an Anglo-Saxon ship dating from around A.D. 600 was an astonishing find of royal treasures. The 88.5-foot long ship was an archaeologist’s dream, packed with treasures, including gold jewelry, Byzantine silverware, a magnificent casket and an iron helmet. It may have been the burial place for an Anglo-Saxon king.
这艘于1937年发现的盎格鲁-撒克逊船只年代可追溯到公元600年左右，在其中发现了惊人的王室珍宝。它长达88.5英尺，堪称考古学家的梦想，里面装满宝物，包括黄金首饰、拜占庭银器、一个宏伟的棺木和铁头盔。它可能是某个盎格鲁-撒克逊国王的墓地。
Why It’s Must See: The objects on display are exquisitely crafted and tell us much about Anglo-Saxon England and that the great treasures, epic travels and larger-than-life warriors of the poetry of that time were not far from reality.
必看原因：展出的器物工艺精美，并且能够告诉我们许多有关盎格鲁-撒克逊英格兰的事情，仿佛诗歌中那些宏大的宝藏、史诗般的旅行和传奇的勇士距离现实不是那么遥远。
What to Look For: Made of iron and covered with copper panels that show a range of scenes, the Sutton Hoo helmet is one of only four surviving helmets from the period. It has a distinctive shape and a menacing face-mask with copper eyebrows that are inlaid with silver wire and garnets, ending in a silver boar’s head.
看点：萨顿胡头盔由铁制成，外面覆以铜片，上面雕刻着一系列景象，是同时期仅存的四个头盔之一。它形状独特，有着充满威胁性的面具，铜制的眉毛上镶嵌着银线和石榴石，眉毛尾部是银色的野猪头。
Nearby: Even if you are not interested in clocks, Rooms 38 and 39 house wonderful timepieces that are likely to leave you marveling. Make sure to find the 1589 Carillon Clock that plays music written by Martin Luther, and the 1585 Mechanical Galleon, which has miniature soldiers striking bells and firing guns.
附近：就算你对钟表不感兴趣，38号展厅和39号展厅精美的钟表也可能会让你惊叹不已。一定要找到1589钟琴(1589 Carillon Clock)，它曾经被用来演奏马丁·路德(Martin Luther)谱写的音乐，还要找到1585机械帆船钟(1585 Mechanical Galleon)，上面有微型士兵敲钟和开枪。
THE SPORT OF KINGS
国王的运动
Assyrian Lion Hunts | Room 10
亚述猎狮(Assyrian Lion Hunts) | 10号展厅
The sculpted reliefs on alabaster panels that line this gallery illustrate the extravagant hunting rituals of the last great Assyrian King, Ashurbanipal, who lived between 668 and around 630 B.C. The panels depict a full story, from the release of the lions to the subsequent chase, the showering of arrows and the killings that marked the king’s prowess and power.
在这个展厅里，雪花大理石浮雕描绘了最后一个伟大的亚述王亚述巴尼拔(Ashurbanipal)的盛大狩猎仪式，他生活的年代大约在公元前668到630年。这些石板描绘了一个完整的故事，从放出狮子到后来的追逐，万箭齐发，乃至最后的杀戮，象征着国王的力量与权力。
Why It’s Must See: The hunt scenes show a world of pageantry, ritual and unsentimental cruelty far from most western sensibilities today.
必看原因：狩猎场景展示了一个充满盛宴与仪式，残酷无情的世界，与如今大多数西方人的情感倾向相去甚远。
What to Look For: The little boy who releases the lions from their cage at the start of the sequence is a small, but charming detail.
看点：一系列浮雕开始之时，那个把狮子从笼子里释放出来的小男孩是个迷人的小细节。
Nearby: In another part of this gallery, you will find remnants of the palace of Ashurbanipal from what is now northern Iraq. Look closely at the stone wall panel, which shows finely observed studies of plants and animals, including the lions that were kept in the royal gardens.
附近：在这个展厅的另一部分，可以找到亚述巴尼拔宫殿的遗迹，来自如今的伊拉克北部。仔细看看石墙的墙面，上面雕刻着栩栩如生的植物和动物，包括养在皇家花园的狮子。
Off the Beaten Path
不走寻常路
Lesser-known but not less-important pieces reside in these five galleries.
下面五个展厅里的藏品虽然不那么著名，但也非常重要。
Oxus Treasure | Room 52
奥克瑟斯宝藏(Oxus Treasur) | 52号展厅
This room features around 170 gold and silver objects, found when a group of merchants was rescued from bandits by a British officer near the Oxus River, in what was then the Persian Empire. The hoard contained vessels, sculptures, coins and votive plaques and they show the gold- and silversmithing skills of the Achaemenid period (550-331 B.C). Exquisite griffin-headed amulets, a goldfish with tiny scales and a horse and chariot sculpture are among these wonders.
这个展厅里陈列着大约170件金银制品。在当年隶属波斯帝国的奥克瑟斯河附近，一名英国军官从土匪手中救下一个商队时发现了它们。这批宝物中包括容器、雕塑、硬币和祈愿用的牌匾，它们显示了阿契美尼德(Achaemenid)时期（公元前550-331）的金银工艺。这些珍宝当中包括一枚精致的格里芬头像护身符、一条长着细小鳞片的金鱼，以及一匹马和战车的雕塑。
The Holy Thorn Reliquary | Room 2a
圣荆棘圣物箱 | 2a展厅
This jewel box of a room contains some 300 precious objects from medieval and Renaissance Europe, bequeathed to the British Museum by the collector Baron Ferdinand Rothschild in 1898. Among the rarities found here is the Holy Thorn Reliquary, dating from 1397 and made to house a thorn from the crown of thorns placed on Christ’s head at his crucifixion. Look for the 16th-century theatrical cabinet that looks like a mini stage set, and a breathtaking 17th-century jade cup, with two dragonlike figures forming handles.
这个展厅内展出的珍宝中包含来自中世纪和文艺复兴时期欧洲的约300件珍贵物品，由收藏家费迪南德·罗斯柴尔德男爵(Baron Ferdinand Rothschild)在1898年遗赠给大英博物馆。其中的珍品包括圣荆棘圣物箱，它的历史可以追溯到1397年，用来盛放基督在十字架上被钉死时头戴的荆冠上的一根荆棘。还可以去看看一个16世纪的戏剧陈列柜，看上去像个迷你舞台；以及一个惊人的17世纪玉杯，有两个龙形手柄。
Mexico | Room 27
墨西哥 | 27号展厅
Briefly admire the Huastec goddess sculptures near the entrance, then head straight for the cabinet at the back of the room, which contains a double-headed serpent made from a single piece of cedar and covered in tiny turquoise mosaics. Its fanglike teeth are made from conch shells, its gums and snout from red oyster shell. The workmanship is spectacular, as it is on the two turquoise face-masks in cabinets found on each side of the serpent.
在入口附近欣赏一下瓦斯蒂克(Huastec)女神雕塑，然后直接去看展厅后部的柜子，那里装着一条双头蛇，由一整块松木制成，上面覆盖着小块绿松石马赛克。它的牙齿是由海贝制成，其牙龈和口鼻是用红色牡蛎壳制成，做工极为精美，在蛇的两侧发现的两个柜子上的两个绿松石面具也是如此。
Hoa Hakananai’a | Room 24
失落的朋友(Hoa Hakananai'a) | 24号展厅
This monumental statue, from the incredibly remote Easter Island in the Pacific ocean, was taken by the crew of a British ship in 1868. It is hard to imagine how they moved the enormous statue, made of volcanic rock and weighing around four tons. With its cavernous eyes and curving mouth, there is something mesmerizing about the statue that repays a long and silent moment of contemplation.
这座纪念雕像于1868年被一艘英国船只的船员从太平洋上偏远得令人难以置信的复活节岛带回。很难想象他们如何移动这座巨大的雕像，它由火山岩制成，重约4吨。它有着深陷的眼睛和弯曲的嘴，非常令人着迷，值得安静地长时间凝视。
African Collection | Room 25
非洲藏品 | 25号展厅
Although this collection is eclectic, there are superb pieces here, notably the 16th-century Benin Plaques. These rectangular metal panels served as decoration for the king’s palace, and they offer depictions of court life and its rituals, but also of European adventurers, and of gods and their attendants. Every plaque has a story to tell, offering a fascinating glimpse into a complex society. Don’t leave this gallery without seeing the contemporary Tree of Life, a 2004 sculpture made from decommissioned weapons from Mozambique’s civil war.
虽然这个系列藏品兼收并蓄，但也有一流的物品，特别是16世纪的贝宁铜板(Benin Plaques)。这些矩形金属板块是国王宫殿的装饰，它们描述了宫廷生活及其仪式，以及欧洲探险家、神和神的侍从。每个板块都有一个故事要讲，非常迷人，令人得以瞥见到一个复杂的社会。来了这个展厅，就一定要看看当代作品“生命之树”(Tree of Life)，它是一座2004年的雕塑，由莫桑比克内战中废弃的武器制成。
Unexpectedly Quiet Spots
意外的安静地点
If you need a break from the crowds, there are a few places that always seem peaceful.
如果你需要远离人群，休息一下，有几个地方看上去总是那么平静。
THE ENLIGHTENMENT GALLERIES | ROOMS 1 AND 2
启蒙运动馆 | 1号和2号展厅
These long galleries, outfitted with oak and mahogany floors, classical columns, balconies and glass-fronted bookcases, offer a sense of another era. They were added to the original museum in 1823 to hold King George III’s collection of over 60,000 books, and now house a cabinet of curiosities that represent the insatiable curiosity and investigative spirit of the Age of Reason, from a 350,000-year-old hand ax to 18th-century plant specimens. In many ways, the Enlightenment Galleries feel like another museum altogether, and they are mostly tranquil and hushed.
这几个长长的展馆装有橡木和红木地板、古典式立柱、阳台和玻璃门书架，感觉像是另一个时代。1823年，它们被添加到原始的博物馆当中，用来保存乔治三世(King George III)的6万多本藏书，现在则用来陈列那些象征理性时代无止境的好奇心与探索精神的珍品，从拥有35万年历史的手斧到18世纪的植物标本。在很多方面，启蒙运动馆感觉像是另一个博物馆，这里大部分时间都是宁静安详的。
THE STAIRCASES
楼梯
Instead of taking the elevators to the second or the third levels, take the wide staircases at each end of the museum and spend some time looking at the artwork that everyone else walks past. The North stairs feature an extraordinary white marble Amitabha Buddha from northern China that rises through the museum’s four stories. The West stairs boast stunning mosaic panels from the 4th and 5th centuries.
不要坐电梯到第二层或第三层去，要走博物馆每一端都有的宽楼梯，花一些时间看看那些其他人只是匆匆经过的艺术品。北部楼梯有一个来自中国北方的汉白玉阿弥陀佛像，非常惊人，高度直达博物馆的四层。西部的楼梯拥有来自公元4世纪和5世纪迷人的马赛克面板。
THE PRINT GALLERIES | ROOM 90
印刷馆 | 90号展厅
Tucked away on the fourth floor, the print galleries hold an astounding archive of more than two million prints, dating back to 1400. The display here is always changing, but you can ask to see any of the prints, in the adjacent study room. Consult the online archive ahead of time.
印刷馆隐藏在四楼，它拥有一个惊人的档案库，收藏着超过200万份的印刷品，时间可追溯到1400年。这里的展品总是在变动，但你可以要求在旁边的研究室内观看任何印刷品，不过要事先研究在线档案。
INTIMATE TREASURES
内部珍品
Carved Jade Terrapin From Allahabad | Room 34
阿拉哈巴德玉龟(Carved Jade Terrapin From Allahabad) | 34号展厅
This 90-pound terrapin is carved from a single piece of green jade and was found at the bottom of a water cistern during engineering excavations in 1803. The wonderfully lifelike piece is thought to be from the early 1600s. Note how the slightly off-center head creates the impression that the creature is moving forward.
这只90磅的水龟是用一块绿玉雕刻出来的，1803年一次工程挖掘期间，人们在一个水箱底部发现了它。这件栩栩如生的物品被认为来自17世纪初。注意稍微偏向一侧的头部是怎样给人带来它正在向前移动的感觉。
Chinese Ceramic Tomb Guardians | Room 33
中国守墓陶俑 | 33号展厅
Look at the detail and variety of these color-glazed burial figures from the Tang dynasty (A.D. 618-906). There are two guardian figures, called lokapala, a military official, a civil official and two fantastical beasts. Don’t overlook the bird of prey on the military official’s hat.
这些彩釉墓葬俑来自唐朝（公元618-906年），注意它们的细节和种类。有两个守卫者，称为“天王”，还有一位军事官员，一位民事官员和两头神兽。不要漏过军官帽子上的猛禽。
Painting and Calligraphy Gallery | Room 91a
绘画书法馆 |