纪录片《大英博物馆世界简史》 066圣荆棘之匣（6）

 

We're not sure who he gave it to, but by 1544 it was in the treasury¹ of the Habsburg emperors in Vienna. And from there its secularisation begins - the gold, enamel² and jewels become far more valuable and interesting than the humble³ thorn that they house. In the 1860s it was sent to a dishonest antique dealer⁴ for restoration. Instead of carrying out the repairs, the dealer created a forgery⁵, which he sent back in its place to the Imperial treasury, keeping the original himself. Eventually the genuine Reliquary was bought by the head of the Vienna branch of the Rothschild bank, and it was donated to the British Museum by Ferdinand de Rothschild in 1898 as part of the Waddesdon Bequest⁶, which now occupies the whole of a small gallery here at the museum.

You never get to the end of the Holy Thorn Reliquary. It's a theatre for the cosmic drama of salvation⁷. It's a sermon on high medieval theology. And you could almost say it's a single-object museum, even if an incomparably lavish⁸ one. There's one exhibit, mounted on sapphire⁹, displayed behind rock crystal, and labelled on enamel. But its purpose is the same as any museum's, to provide a worthy¹⁰ setting for a great thing. We can't of course know how visitors approach the objects on display in the British Museum, but many visitors surely still use the Holy Thorn Reliquary for its original devotional purpose of contemplation and prayer.

我们确定不了他赠送的对象。但在一五四四年，它成了维也纳哈布斯堡君主的藏品。在那之后，它开始回归俗世，世人对装饰其上的黄金、珐琅与珠宝比对盛放其中的平凡荆棘更感兴趣。十九世纪六十年代，它被送到一名狡猾的古董商处修复，而他却制造了一个赝品送回，留下了真品。最终，真正的圣物匣被罗斯柴尔德银行维也纳分行行长购得，并由费迪南德·罗斯柴尔德男爵作为沃德斯登庄园展品之一赠送给了大英博物馆。如今，这一来自沃德斯登的赠品占据了博物馆的整整一间小型展厅。

圣荆棘匣本身便可算是一座只有一件展品的博物馆，也许还算得上全世界最奢华的一座：展品摆放在蓝宝石上，前面陈列着一排水晶，标签用珐琅做成。它的用途和所有博物馆并无不同：为一件有价值的物品提供一个相称的展示环境。我们不太了解游客会以何种视角欣赏大英博物馆所陈列的物品，但在面对圣荆棘匣时，许多人仍会遵循它虔诚的制造初衷，对着它沉思或祷告。

 

1 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

2 enamel   

n.珐琅，搪瓷，瓷釉；(牙齿的)珐琅质

参考例句：

• I chipped the enamel on my front tooth when I fell over.我跌倒时门牙的珐琅质碰碎了。
• He collected coloured enamel bowls from Yugoslavia.他藏有来自南斯拉夫的彩色搪瓷碗。

3 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

4 dealer   

n.商人，贩子

参考例句：

• The dealer spent hours bargaining for the painting.那个商人为购买那幅画花了几个小时讨价还价。
• The dealer reduced the price for cash down.这家商店对付现金的人减价优惠。

5 forgery   

n.伪造的文件等，赝品，伪造（行为）

参考例句：

• The painting was a forgery.这张画是赝品。
• He was sent to prison for forgery.他因伪造罪而被关进监狱。

6 bequest   

n.遗赠；遗产，遗物

参考例句：

• In his will he made a substantial bequest to his wife.在遗嘱里他给妻子留下了一大笔遗产。
• The library has received a generous bequest from a local businessman.图书馆从当地一位商人那里得到了一大笔遗赠。

7 salvation   

n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困

参考例句：

• Salvation lay in political reform.解救办法在于政治改革。
• Christians hope and pray for salvation.基督教徒希望并祈祷灵魂得救。

8 lavish   

adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍

参考例句：

• He despised people who were lavish with their praises.他看不起那些阿谀奉承的人。
• The sets and costumes are lavish.布景和服装极尽奢华。

9 sapphire   

n.青玉，蓝宝石；adj.天蓝色的

参考例句：

• Now let us consider crystals such as diamond or sapphire.现在让我们考虑象钻石和蓝宝石这样的晶体。
• He left a sapphire ring to her.他留给她一枚蓝宝石戒指。

10 worthy   

adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的

参考例句：

• I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
• There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。