Images Dated 2019 January

Copper Alloy Pre-decimal One Penny (1d) Coin, England

The obverse bears the youthful portrait of Queen Elizabeth II (reigned 1952-) wearing a laurel wreath in her hair. The inscription ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA F : D: + encircles the portrait. This portrait by artist Mary Gillick (1881-1965) was used on British coins until 1968 when new 5 pence and 10 pence coins were introduced, ahead of decimalisation in 1971. Royal portraits have been used on English coins for over 1000 years. The reverse features a seated Britannia holding Neptune's trident and shield, with the sea behind and a lighthouse on the left. The inscription ONE PENNY are placed on either side with the year, 1967, towards the bottom. Britannia, the female steadfast and ready warrior who is an emblem of Britain, first appeared on coins back in the Roman era. Charles II reintroduced Britannia onto British coins in 1672 and she remains on some of our coins to this day

© RIC, photographer Mike Searle

A view of St Pirans Oratory surrounded by railings, Perranzabuloe, Cornwall. Between 1890s and 1910

A general view looking south of the oratory surrounded by the iron railings which were erected in the 1890s. This is before the excavations of 1910. A lady with a parasol is seated on the far right on the grass. St Piran's Oratory survives as an early Christian chapel with all four walls standing. It represents the supposed site where St Piran, an Irish saint came ashore and established a Christian centre of worship in the sixth or seventh centuries AD. The site has a documented entry in the Domesday book. There is a small nave, chancel and stone bench around much of the interior plus a cemetery. Situated on Penhale Sands, east of Perranporth, the Oratory has been subject to blown sands over the years. Excavations were carried out in 1835 and 1843 and then railings were erected around the site in the 1890s. In 1910 it was re-excavated and a concrete preserving structure constructed over it. A large number of burials were uncovered during the works. The concrete shell was largely demolished in 1980 and the chapel reburied. The site was re-excavated in 2014-2015. Photographer: Herbert Hughes

© From the collection of the RIC

Pottery Bottle, Peru, South America

This bottle is likely to have been made by the Chim? people, who lived in northern Peru. It dates from AD1100-1300 and depicts a human-like figure holding a monkey. Much Chim?an pottery incorporates representations of human-like characters and animals, usually monkeys or seabirds, into their design. The geometric patterns on the pot are thought to represent waves, representing the culture's relationship with the sea and maritime excursions. The consistency of the shapes and decorations are often achieved via the mass production technique of press moulding'. The Chim? are best known for making black pottery, which is thought to have been accomplished by reducing oxygen levels during the clay firing process. Before firing the clay, they would often burnish the vessel in order to give it a unique silver sheen; it is because of this that Chim?an pottery was very rarely painted. The majority of Peruvian pottery is black in colour, characterised by a distinctive metallic look. The bottle is 21.0 cm high and 15.0 cm wide. TRURI : 1927.49

© RIC, photographer Mike Searle