Books in the Objects in Focus series

The Lewis chessmen were found under mysterious circumstances on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, in 1831.

Discovered in Suffolk in 1942, the Mildenhall Treasure is one of the most important collections of Late Roman silver tableware from the Roman Empire.

The Standard of Ur is one of the most famous objects to be discovered from ancient Mesopotamia. It was un earthed in a tomb in 1927 by Leonard Woolley during his archaeological excavations of the `Royal Cemetery' of Ur located in present - day Iraq.

This book explores the meaning and history of this fascinating object, and tells the tale of its remarkable survival and eventual passage to the British Museum.

The Discobolus or discus-thrower is a marvellous classical piece of sculpture that over time has come to mean different things to different people. It is originally cast in bronze by the fifth-century BC sculptor Myron. This book tells the story of Myron's Discobolus both as an archaeological artefact and bearer of meaning.

This short book in the 'British Museum Objects in Focus' series looks at one of the most striking and emblematic finds from Anglo-Saxon England. It presents the story of the excavations at Sutton Hoo and the discovery, in 1939, of the ship burial and the helmet. The process of restoring the helmet is described and it is put in context with other similar finds.

Believed to represent a king, the beautiful bronze head in the British Museum is one of seventeen objects unearthed in 19389 at the town of Ife in Nigeria. This book tells its fascinating story, from its discovery to its reception and exhibition in Britain, where it influenced and inspired several major artists.

Made from Bronze with eyes inlaid with glass pupils set in metal rings, the 'Meroe Head' is a magnificent portrait of Julius Caesar's great nephew and adopted heir Augustus (63 BC-AD 14).

This book tells the unique story of this exquisitely crafted Roman silver drinking cup, engraved with erotic scenes. Created in the first century AD, and after being condemned to undeserved obscurity for too long, the cup shows a pair of male lovers in explicit homoerotic scenes that reflect the mores of the time and region in which the cup was created and used.

The Rosetta Stone contains a decree written three times in Greek, Demotic and hieroglyphic that provided the key to the mysterious hieroglyphic script of ancient Egypt, and opened up 3,000 years of that country's history and culture.

Beautifully illustrated with photographs of the statue and contextual images, and including archival material relating to the British Museum's acquisition, this book tells the story of this magnificent artefact, discussing alongside the draw of colossal Egyptian sculpture, the history of the reign of Ramesses II and the nature of the statue's acquisition.

"The Great Wave" is a colour woodblock print designed by Japanese artist Hokusai in around 1830. This book explores the meaning behind "Hokusai's Great Wave", in the context of "the Mount Fuji" series and Japanese art as a whole.