NEWS RELEASES
Mightier than the Sword - The Written Word through the Ages
18th September 2007
Every day of our lives we are surrounded by words, both written and printed: Words contained in letters, newspapers, books, televisions, computer screens, shop signs, food packets and magazines, among many others; we are bombarded by words—could you imagine your life without them?
A new exhibition at Horsham Museum looks at the development of writing from its earliest beginnings more than 6000 years ago, tracing its first uses from simple record keeping through to the beautiful illuminated manuscripts of the middle ages. With the invention of printing 500 years ago the word was in reach of anyone who could read and mass communication became possible for the first time. Today’s media explosion means that words can travel around the world within seconds.
Among objects on display there are a number of items from ancient Egypt kindly loaned by Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton and Hove, including figures inscribed with the names of their owners and a stone that was carved with prayers for the afterlife more than 4000 years ago. Examples of writing from around the world feature in the exhibition, including Chinese, Arabic, Pali and Ethiopian texts, some of which contain some exquisite illumination and penmanship. As well as writing from far distant shores, the exhibition shows that writing preserves information and ideas through time, and proves that the worst ink survives the best memory!
Mightier than the Sword: The Written Word through the Ages opens on Thursday 20 September and runs until Saturday 24 November 2007.
For further information please contact Jason Semmens, Assistant Curator.
Horsham Museum
9 Causeway, Horsham, West Sussex. RH12 1HE.
Tel: (01403) 254959 Fax: (01403) 282594
Email: museum@horsham.gov.uk
http://www.horshammuseum.org/
Open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm. Closed Bank Holidays.