Royal Ontario Museum Blog
Monthly Archive: December
Franklin Found! Clues in an Arctic Mystery
!["The Fox on a rock off Buchan Island", in Captain M'Clintick, A Narrative of the Discovery of the Fate of Sir John Franklin and his Companions. Boston: Ticknor and Fields, 1860 The ship 'Fox' foundered on a rock off Buchan Island](https://www.rom.on.ca/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/blog_post/thumbnail/narrative_of_the_discovery_of_the_fate_of_sir_john_franklin_ship.jpg?itok=Z_oilrhn)
The recent discovery of one of the Franklin expedition’s lost ships has provided new evidence in a mysterious chapter in early Arctic exploration.
What exactly is a LOT?
![Specimens are preserved, sorted into LOTS, identified, and catalogued Several fish in a jar](https://www.rom.on.ca/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/blog_post/thumbnail/twitter_collection_specimen_with_ecological_data_historical_b_1.jpg?itok=lAMWBTY2)
In the past 100 years, the Ichthyology section at the ROM has amassed over one million fish specimens from around the world in one of the largest fish collections in North America. These specimens are preserved, sorted into LOTS, identified, catalogued and shelved like books in a library.
Are you Afraid FOR Bats This Halloween?
![Two little brown bats fly over Rouge Park during the 2012 Ontario BioBlitz. Photo by Stacey Lee Kerr two little brown bats fly in a twilit sky over Rouge Park during the 2012 Ontario BioBlitz. Photo by Stacey Lee Kerr](https://www.rom.on.ca/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/blog_post/thumbnail/2012-06-15_slk_294-edit-2_bats-3.jpg?itok=B_L88BaL)
I love bats. There’s just something about them that gives me that warm fuzzy feeling inside everytime I see one. Now I know what you (and to be honest, a lot of people I know) are thinking - how can she like such a creepy little mammal like a bat? Don’t they suck your blood/get caught in your hair/give you the heebie jeebies? First of all, the answer to those questions is no.
Introducing Nefret-Mut
![Gayle Gibson with Nefret-Mut's coffin Gayle Gibson with Nefret-Mut's coffin](https://www.rom.on.ca/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/blog_post/thumbnail/gayle-gibson_0.jpg?itok=jZkGYR16)
ROM Educator and Egyptologist Gayle Gibson explains how she was able to name this mummy after so many years in the collection
Blue Whale Update: Where is it Now?
![A beached blue whale on the Newfoundland coast, strapped up and ready to be transported to Woody Point for recovery. Photo by Jacqueline C. Waters. A beached blue whale on the Newfoundland coast, strapped up and ready to be transported to Woody Point for recovery. Photo by Jacqueline C. Waters](https://www.rom.on.ca/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/blog_post/thumbnail/blue_whale_update_header.jpg?itok=uYFNHR--)
Guest Blog Posting by Environmental Visual Communication (EVC) student, Nila Sivatheesan
The "Maple Leaf Forever Tree" Lives On
![Eco-Woodturner, Michael Finkelstein, works on a set of nesting bowls in his studio. Photo by Justine DiCesare Eco-Woodturner, Michael Finkelstein, works on a set of nesting bowls in his studio. Photo by Justine DiCesare](https://www.rom.on.ca/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/blog_post/thumbnail/16x9_aspect_ratio.jpg?itok=kvaT5ZWW)
A year after a storm toppled the famous "Maple Leaf Forever Tree" in Leslieville, Toronto-based artisan and Eco-woodturner Michael Finkelstein wanted to help preserve this beautiful, 150-year old silver maple tree for future generations to enjoy through his artwork.
Walking a half-Marathon as the Herculaneum soldier
![The Last Day of Pompeii is a large canvas painting by Russian artist Karl Briullov in 1830-33 (Hermitage Museum, public domain image) The Last Day of Pompeii is a large canvas painting by Russian artist Karl Briullov in 1830-33 (Hermitage Museum, public domain image)](https://www.rom.on.ca/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/blog_post/thumbnail/1024px-karl_brullov_-_the_last_day_of_pompeii_-_google_art_project.jpg?itok=F4h3PjOT)
Probably on October 24th in 79 AD a large group of people congregated on the beach at the seaside town of Herculaneum, in Italy. They were presumably trying to take ship to gain distance from Mount Vesuvius, which had been raining ash and rocks on the city, and the neighbouring town of Pompeii, all day. But suddenly, a massive cloud of red-hot ash swept down from the volcano directly towards Herculaneum. Studies of the skeletons on the beach show that they were mostly males, with women and children huddling in boathouses by the shore. One man in particular was a soldier.
Visiting a Family Heirloom
The dagger was a wedding gift in recognition of the military traditions within the family of the donor, who then gave it to the museum in order to preserve this special object for future generations. In October 2010, his daughter contacted the museum about seeing this family heirloom and then returned with the next generation of family members in tow to revisit this meaningful piece. Because of her efforts, the museum now has a fuller history of her family’s connection to this artefact, which is now part of its permanent record. Written by Deepali Dewan
Collection Highlight: Sikhs in Canada
Weapon Wednesday: Chakram from India
Written by Aruna Panday, Ph.D Candidate in the Department of Anthropology at York University, Friends of South Asia co-Chair, and Summer 2014 ROM curatorial intern.
Chakram or battle-quoit, made of wrought steel, India, 19th century, ROM 910.42.52