Shop Around the World this Holiday Season
at the Penn Museum Gift Shops |
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November 26, 2013, Volume 60, No. 15
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The Pyramid Shop offers an array of board games from Egypt as well as Rome to give children the chance to play as the ancients did. Photo by Penn Museum. |
Ancient artifact replicas of a (L-R) Mesopotamian Legal Tablet, Babylonian School Tablet and Mesopotamian Beer Tablet keychain available in the Museum Shop at the Penn Museum. Photo by Penn Museum. |
Recognized for its global jewelry selection, the Museum Shop at the Penn Museum in Philadelphia is offering unique gifts evoking ancient royal style.
Among the collection are Sofala bangle bracelets from South Africa, fair trade items which support women's employment. Inspired by the 16th-century trade prowess of the Mutapa Kingdoms of modern-day Zimbabwe and Mozambique, the bracelets' symbols and patterns celebrate the ancient tradition of adornment and a rich culture of craftsmanship. The bangles are 100% handmade and take hours to weave ($12.99 each, or three for $30).
Besides the Sofala bangles, there are Lapis Leaf earrings inspired by the jewelry of Queen Puabi in Iraq's Ancient Past: Rediscovering Ur's Royal Cemetery. Each earring is a delicate brass leaf anchored to a vibrant lapis bead ($59.99).
Hundreds of unique gifts from around the world are available at the Museum Shop. The Pyramid Shop for children offers a variety of fun and educational toys, games, stuffed animals and books.
Shoppers can save at the Annual Holiday Sale from Wednesday, December 4 through Sunday, December 8. Both the Museum Shop and the Pyramid Shop offer 15% off all purchases for Penn, University of Pennsylvania Health System and Children's Hospital of Pennsylvania staff and students (with PennCard or employee ID) and 20% for Penn Museum members (with membership card).
Highlight of the Museum Shop
According to Shop Manager Kevin Freitag, a Himalayan Salt lamp from the mountainous region of Pakistan is a bestseller. It is a popular gift idea for both home décor and for children to use as a night light. The high-mineral crystals range in color from sheer white to varying shades of pink, to deep reds. Himalayan salt originally formed from marine fossil deposits more than 250 million years ago and is still extracted from mines by hand, according to tradition, without the use of any machinery ($30, or $15 with purchase of any other item).
For Teachers, Lawyers and Event Planners
In addition to accessories, shoppers can also purchase ancient artifact replicas such as Babylonian School Tablets ($9.99) used in ancient Nippur. A popular gift for teachers, the tablet shows how the teacher inscribed the signs in the first two rows, which students then copied in lines three and four.
any guests browsing for law school gift ideas select the Mesopotamian Legal Tablet ($19.99). It features cuneiform writing of the Laws of Lipit-Ishtar, which pre-date the Code of Hammurabi by 150 years. There is also the Mesopotamian Beer Tablet keychain ($6.99) to amuse event planners and beer lovers. The tablet is a receipt from 1200 BCE written in the Akkadian language for one of the earliest recorded beer runs.
The Pyramid Shop for Children
The Penn Museum children's gift shop, the Pyramid Shop, provides exciting and educational toys and games for explorers ages 5 and up. An array of board games from Egypt (Mancala and Senet) as well as Rome (Nine Men's Morris), a game of Oriental strategy, offers children the chance to play as the ancients did ($12.99–$44.99). A Byzantine mosaic kit offers a unique twist for 8- to 11-year-old puzzle aficionados. The finished result is an image of the woman Ktisis, a personification of the act of generosity. Floor mosaics inscribed with her name have survived at sites throughout the former Byzantine Empire ($12.95).
Shoppers can find additional toys, games, stuffed animals, jewelry and a treasure trove of children's books about ancient civilizations and modern world cultures at the Pyramid Shop. The items appeal to a wide range of ages and are offered at a range of prices.
Visitors coming exclusively to the shops can enter the Museum for free. The Museum Shop is open during regular Museum hours: Tuesday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Wednesday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. (until 8 p.m. on Wednesdays if the Museum is open); and Thursday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. (closed Mondays and major holidays). The Pyramid Shop is open Tuesday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. For more information, call (215) 898-4040. A selection of items are available at the Museum's website: www.penn.museum/museum-shops.html |