Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology (76 page)

A hollow metal dome-shaped object that when struck makes a clear musical note. Two main types can be recognized in Europe. The first, and oldest type, is made from a sheet of metal cut to a pattern and then bent into an open-ended rectangular or oval form, riveted together, with a clapper suspended in the centre. The second type, of medieval and later date, is made by casting the whole form in a single mould with a clapper being added to a cast spigot inside the bell. In China bells very rarely have internal clappers but are instead struck on the outside with a mallet.

 
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Bell , Gertrude Margaret Lowthian
(1868–1926)
[Bi].

British archaeologist, diplomat, and traveller who specialized in the ancient history of the Near East. Born in County Durham, she was educated at Queen's College, Harley Street, and Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, where she read history. She travelled widely from 1899 onwards, visiting friends in Jerusalem, learning Arabic, and in 1900 making a first expedition into the desert. In the following years she made valuable maps and plans of archaeological sites, including some of the earliest work in the An Nafud Desert. During WW1 she was attached to Military Intelligence in Cairo, bringing detailed knowledge of the region and its inhabitants. In 1917 she became Assistant Political Officer in Baghdad and was mentioned in dispatches four times. After the war she became Oriental Secretary to the High Commission on Baghdad working to install Faisal , leader of the Arab Revolt, as king of Iraq. During this time she was Honorary Director of Antiquities in Iraq, and in March 1926, shortly before her death, she persuaded the Iraqi government to make available one of the finest buildings in Baghdad as a National Museum.
[Bio.: H. V. F. Winstone , 1978,
Gertrude Bell
. London: Quartet Books]

 
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A capacious round-bellied jug or pitcher bearing a grotesque human mask. Originally created in the Netherlands as a burlesque likeness of Cardinal Bellarmine, the idea spread widely and the term later became applied to any jug bearing a human mask.

 
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A class of early Bronze Age round barrow found in northwestern Europe and comprising between one and four earth and stone mounds set within a ditched enclosure. They are called bell barrows because, in profile, the mounds resemble the campanile form of medieval and later church bells—a flattish top, slightly flaring sides, and a bevelled skirt around the bottom. The mounds, which are separated from the surrounding ditch by a
BERM
, cover one or more primary burials and often have satellite and secondary burials within the mound. The most common type, the single bell barrow, ranges in size from 10m to over 60m in diameter, most being about 40m across. Many of the primary burials under bell barrows are accompanied by rich grave goods. Compare
BOWL BARROWS
and
FANCY BARROWS
.

 
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See
BEAKER
.

 
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Belzoni , Giovanni Battista
(1778–1823)
[Bi].

An Italian popular entertainer and unprincipled collector of Egyptian antiquities who enriched many major European collections, including those of the British Museum. Born in Padua, Italy, he spent much of his early life travelling around Europe looking for work, appearing as a ‘strong man’ in theatrical performances. In Egypt he was given work developing irrigation schemes, but they were not popular with the Pasha and Belzoni found himself without money and employment. The British Consul suggested that he should collect antiquities for him, and between 1817 and 1819 Belzoni systematically looted tombs and monuments, causing many disputes with local landowners and rival Italian and French collectors. It is said that, in just two years, Belzoni did as much damage to Egypt's archaeological heritage as time alone had done over the previous 2000 years. Perhaps his best discovery was the tomb of Seti I in the
VALLEY OF THE KINGS
.
[Bio.: S. Mayes , 1961,
The Great Belzoni
. London: Putnam]