Bill Taylor
LightNews LightNews
banner
wataylor.bsky.social
Bill Taylor
@wataylor.bsky.social
500 followers 140 following 0 posts
writer ~ spec fiction ~ 20th cent lit ~ music ~ ancient & religious art ~ mythology & folklore ~ archaeology ~ other old stuff ~ california ~ food ~ owls
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Bill Taylor
drnwillburger.bsky.social
Another Berlin museum day with @alisonfisk.bsky.social : rooms full of stories, conversations full of laughter, and a beer to toast it all.

I’ll leave the rest to this whimsical owl on a silver coin. 🦉🪙

Tetradrachm, Athens, around 450 BC. On display at Bode-Museum
A close-up of a silver coin depicting an owl and the inscription "ATHE" in Greek letters.
September 16, 2026 at 6:14 PM
Reposted by Bill Taylor
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Happy Monday!

Here are two lovely little owls decorating an ancient Greek ceramic drinking cup made in Athens around 2,500 years ago!
🦉❤️

Louvre, Paris 📷 by me

#Archaeology
My photo shows a close-up of the neck of an ancient Greek pottery drinking cup decorated with two red-figure owls on a black slip background. The owls stand with their bodies in profile facing each other, heads turned full-face towards the viewer. The owl details are painted black. Each owl has two large round eyes consisting of a black dot inside a thick black circle. The folded wings are painted in outline, and black dots represent feathers on their wings and bodies. Below this red-figure decoration on the neck of the drinking cup, the main body of the cup (not seen) is moulded in the shape of an owl! Total cup height: 27.5 cm. Diameter 11.7 cm. Dated c. 460-450 BC.
July 20, 2026 at 4:28 PM
Reposted by Bill Taylor
fravery.bsky.social
“If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water.”

Loren Eiseley

Art by Kevin Kia
June 7, 2026 at 9:46 AM
Reposted by Bill Taylor
chartresfi.bsky.social
A very strange little angel/cherub impressed into a ledger stone at St John the Baptist, Beckford.
The folded wings are lovely with each feather shown in detail but I'm not sure if it's meant to be hair, flames or something else entirely above their head?
#MonumentsMonday
June 1, 2026 at 8:16 AM
Reposted by Bill Taylor
bwallower.bsky.social
#MosaicMonday
Colourful #Roman mosaic lararium (shrine for household gods) w seashell and pebble designs, in Herculaneum's House of the Skeleton.
In small internal courtyard/light well w garden frescoes - survived when Bourbons stripped most of material in the house in 18th C excavations. 🏺
Built against wall in several sections, all made of shells and small pebbles. Top to bottom: *Triangular pediment on top: blue/white triangle w pink shell outline *Pale blue band w row of darker blue + gold oval shapes *Inset semi-circular section with blue/pale blue/gold decoration in the niche, with an arched feature above; flat columns on either side in gold and blue *Rectangular panel with square in centre which has pale blue semicircles on the sides with acanthus designs, set in pale sandy coloured background *Plinth in stone
June 1, 2026 at 8:03 AM
Reposted by Bill Taylor
curatorkate.bsky.social
Two of the incredible early 16th century choir stall ends at St. Mary’s Church, Leake, North Yorkshire. They’re thought to have come from Bridlington Priory or Rievaulx Abbey, post-dissolution (seems to vary depending on the source you read, but Bridlington is cited more often).
May 14, 2026 at 2:37 PM
Reposted by Bill Taylor
kpw1453.bsky.social
Owl carving from the medieval chancel stalls of St. Mary's Church at Higham Ferrers in Northamptonshire. 📸 My own. #Woodensday #HighamFerrers
May 6, 2026 at 6:05 AM
Reposted by Bill Taylor
ashmoleanmuseum.bsky.social
This wonderful carving of a tiger with her cub is actually a netsuke, a carved toggle used to attach purses or other smaller items to the traditional Japanese kimono.

It was made by Japanese carver Kokei, dates back to the late 18th century and measures just 2.5cm in height!
A small brown carved netsuke in the shape of a tiger with striped details .
April 25, 2026 at 7:00 AM
Reposted by Bill Taylor
portaspeciosa.bsky.social
St Michael weighing souls in a bench end at St Mary Magdalene, Ickleton, Cambs.
April 19, 2026 at 7:16 PM
Reposted by Bill Taylor
tomgauld.bsky.social
my latest books cartoon for @theguardian.com
Two hooded figures with lamps approach a moonlit, isolated cottage. A woman answers the door. We have come for the child, says the hooded figure So soon? she asks It is time, says the hooded figure. The woman is distraught. We should never have got him a library card! What is done cannot be undone, says the hooded figure We couldn’t see the harm! We just wanted him to enjoy reading! For most, it ends there, says the hooded figure, turning away and walking into the wilderness Oh lord, What have I done! says the woman, the child walks past her and out into the darkness with them. Do not cry mother. I am a writer now.
April 19, 2026 at 9:44 AM
Reposted by Bill Taylor
handhyorkshire.bsky.social
It might not be the first place you would think of looking for a carved sphinx but in the choristers stalls in the Quire of Beverley Minster there she is. It was carved in high-quality, fine-grained oak. The many wooden carvings c.1520 in the minster are
The choir stalls in Beverley Minster, carved around 1520, are famous for their 68 misericords (hinged seats) and detailed woodwork, which include mythological beasts. The ends of the choir stall rows feature intricate carvings of mythological beasts, specifically including griffins and asphinx. The stalls were likely created by the Ripon School of Carvers and are celebrated as a final, high-quality flowering of medieval woodcarving.
March 29, 2026 at 9:34 AM
Reposted by Bill Taylor
bwallower.bsky.social
#Woodensday
Complete set of 13th C oak choir stalls made from oak
donated by King Henry III @salisburycathedral.bsky.social is phenomenally beautiful.
And the details....!

Doggo is a very good boy, though cousins were convinced Dobby the House Elf from Harry Potter had modelled for the carver.
A wooden choir stall end with a curling branch of foliage and fruits, n which is perching a dog with big eyes and pointed ears flopping down a bit. Head is turned to look over shoulder to its right.
March 11, 2026 at 12:55 PM
Reposted by Bill Taylor
malcolmstoneman.bsky.social
Cathedral of St Nicholas,
Newcastle, Tyne & Wear

“You can almost hear the music” 🎶🎶🎶

Choir stalls & misericords by cathedral architect R J Johnson & carved by Ralph Hadley -1882.

#Woodensday
#WoodcarvingWednesday
Carved wooden figures playing a harp & cymbals.
February 11, 2026 at 8:20 AM
Reposted by Bill Taylor
drnwillburger.bsky.social
Timeline cleanse!

A Greek Lekythos (a vessel to store and pour scented oil) decorated with an #owl, 470 BC. 🦉

The owl was the sacred animal of Athena, the goddess of wisdom, who was also the protector goddess of Athens.

On display at Antikensammlung München

📷me

🏺
A red-figure lekythos featuring a stylized owl perched on olive branches on a glossy black body, with reserved red-orange clay for the figure and fine painted details; narrow shouldered form with flaring mouth and footed base, shown on a white stand against a plain background.
February 7, 2026 at 5:48 AM
Reposted by Bill Taylor
chartresfi.bsky.social
An absolutely beautiful early 20thC angel on the rail leading to the pulpit at St Peter's, Leicester.
Apparently carved by a local man, the quality is superb.
#Woodensday
November 19, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Reposted by Bill Taylor
fotofacade.bsky.social
The C12th carvings of the apostles in the porch at Malmesbury Abbey are achingly beautiful with their Byzantine-esque swirling swags that feel like the ripples in a pond. They remind us that there are different ways of seeing - a kind of visual literacy.
July 7, 2025 at 5:59 AM
Reposted by Bill Taylor
arealmofwonder.bsky.social
A Happy 175th Birthday to...

• Robert Louis Stevenson •
November 13, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Reposted by Bill Taylor
bwallower.bsky.social
#FindsFriday
Among star finds from #Saxon Prittlewell Prince burial in Essex were #glass beakers w trailed lattice decoration.
Beautiful and rare, so similar they were likely made as a pair, in Kent. Few other examples are known, almost all in high status burials.
Southend Museums
#Ancientbluesky 🏺
Two small deep-blue round glass vessels with a squat shape and trailed glass lattice decoration, forming diamond shapes around the body. They have a broad low rim at the top. Burial dated 580-605 AD and thought to be of Sæxa, brother of King Sæberht of Essex.
September 19, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Reposted by Bill Taylor
drnwillburger.bsky.social
#SaturdayMorningMood: a #Greek skyphos (a two handled drinking cup), decorated with an adorable #owl.

Dating second half of the 5th century BC.

On display at Museum August Kestner, Hannover.

📷 me

🏺
A red-figure cup with two handles, featuring a central depiction of a stylized owl flanked by olive leaves. The owl is painted in a reddish-brown hue against the black background.
August 2, 2025 at 6:49 AM
Reposted by Bill Taylor
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Sipping my coffee ☕️ thinking about these marvellous Minoan cups!

Known as Kamares Ware, these luxury ceramics were made during the Bronze Age 3,800 years ago!

Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete

📷 by me

#Archaeology
My photo collage shows four Minoan ‘Kamares Ware’ cups from Bronze Age Crete which look similar to modern tea or coffee cups. Heraklion Archaeological Museum display information says these luxury ceramics were made in palace workshops and used by the elite of the community for wine consumption at palace banquets. This style of pottery derives its name from the Kamares Cave on Mount Ida, where this type of pottery was first found. Some Kamares cups with extremely thin walls are known as ‘eggshell’ ware. The cups at bottom left and right are examples of eggshell ware. The cups have decorative motifs as follows: Top left: single-handled carinated cup (i.e. with sharply angled body) painted black and decorated with a dense pattern of small white spots surrounding a large red geometric motif. From Phaistos, 1800-1700 BC Top right: single-handled beige carinated cup decorated with three rows of black oblong shapes, each with two white dots inside. The oblongs in the first and third rows slant to the left, the middle row slant right. The lower third of the cup is painted black and the handle is beige. From Phaistos, 1800-1700 BC Bottom left: single-handled hemispherical ‘eggshell’ cup decorated with three rows of upright black oblongs each with a white dot inside on a beige ground. A white and red stripe runs vertically down the exterior and interior of the cup and handle. From Phaistos, 1800-1700 BC Bottom right: single-handled hemispherical ‘eggshell’ cup decorated with red and white stylised floral pattern on a glossy black ground. From Knossos , 1800-1700 BC
July 5, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Reposted by Bill Taylor
thehoursgodsends.bsky.social
There was so much in Siena at the National Gallery I will never forget, but the sheer colour and detail of this, Buonaccorso’s The Marriage of the Virgin, is like a jewelled dream that still haunts my own.
A stunning work by Niccolo de Buonaccorso showing the marriage of the Virgin Mary, a riot of 14th century gilt and dreamy colours, blue gold and pink dominate the scene.
June 21, 2025 at 8:57 AM
Reposted by Bill Taylor
roaringmeg.bsky.social
“peace” #StainedGlassSunday
Porch window in the charming little chapel of St Gregory’s on the road to Sedbergh from the M6 motorway. Glass by Morris & Co. @ChurchesConservationTrust
A stained glass window by Morris & Co. St Gregory’s chapel, Vale of Lune
June 15, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Reposted by Bill Taylor
gretellemaitre.bsky.social
On a grey day today I stood in awe in front of the Wilton Diptych on display at the NG. I looked at each angel’s face; their arms linked and one with her arm round another. Fluidity and drama in the scene, so different from the static depictions from former centuries. Art was on the move in Siena ⭐️
April 15, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Reposted by Bill Taylor
partialhistorians.bsky.social
Gathering flowers to add your cornucopia is clearly the very best way to enjoy a spring day!

This fresco fragment is often identified as Flora and was found in the Villa of Ariadne in Stabiae. Now held in the MAN Napoli.

#FrescoFriday #AncientBluesky🏺
A female figure often identified as Flora, is seen from behind as she picks flowers while wandering in a lush green space. She is dressed in gowns of white and yellow, wears a golden diadem and carries a cornucopia. The fresco is from the Villa of Ariadne in Stabiae near Pompei, circa 15-45 CE. Photo credit to Levan Ramishvili via Wikimedia Commons.
April 4, 2025 at 7:36 AM