Like any good book, the climax to this trip had been building for a while. When we first planned to go to D. C., I had looked into going to Dumbarton Oaks. It was a lovely museum. My mom and dad both liked the Aphrodite necklace carved out of a single piece of lapis lazuli in the courtyard. I loved the micromosaic icon of St. John Chrystostom and a bronze peacock lamp. I enjoyed walking through the Precolumbian section in the museum. My favorite items in that section were the Eccentric Flints. I believe they were meant to represent a god of thunder. In the Byzantine gallery, there was part of the Sion Treasure and some gorgeous ivories. The numismatic display was impressive. I have closer photos for each section except Spain, and attributions for everything. The solidus celebrating the marriage of the emperor Anastasius and Ariadne was fascinating to see, especially with such an early numismatic depiction of Christ. I was impressed by an illuminated manuscript and a flawless porphry urn. Afterwards we went over to the gardens and spent some time there. It was a very beautiful day, and the garden was very pretty. I liked the pebble garden. There was one enclosed area where a fig tree planted in the 19th century had flourished, and was still living, covering the upper part of the walls with leaves. It was an absolutely great experience, and I would love to return someday. Part 1 can be found here. Part 2 can be found here. Part 4 can be found here.
