William Kennett Loftus' Legacy to the North: Near Eastern Materials in Newcastle upon Tyne

This paper investigates the figure of William Kennet Loftus (1820-1858) and his relationship with the city of Newcastle upon Tyne, using certain previously unpublished archival documents. It will reconstruct the story of original Assyrian sculptures and inscribed bricks donated by Loftus to two local cultural institutions (the Museum of the Natural History Society and the Literary and Philosophical Society), offering details on the reaction of Newcastle citizens when these items arrived in the city. In doing so, the paper will also investigate how the perception towards the Assyrian materials in Newcastle upon Tyne changed through time, from the Victorian age until today.