'Agatha Christie ivories' to go on show
10th March 2011
A collection of ancient ivories connected to the author Agatha Christie are to go on show at the British Museum for the first time.
The artefacts, excavated by Christie's husband Sir Max Mallowan in Assyria between 1949 and 1963, have been dated at almost 3,000 years old.
There are over 6,000 artefacts in total and Christie herself helped with the excavation while writing the Poirot novel Hickory Dickory Dock and thriller They Came to Baghdad.
British Museum director Neil MacGregor said the pieces, which are decorated with pictures of chariots and furniture, were found in the Assyrian capital Nimrud in what is now northern Iraq and 'increase understanding' of the religion, society and tradition of the Assyrian Empire.
'Not only are they beautiful but they clearly carry in them a whole set of stories,' he added.
Christie was married to Mallowan for 46 years until her death in 1976 and drew inspiration for many of her novels from their travels, including And Then There Were None and Murder on the Orient Express.