Sara E. Cole

Bio

Sara E. Cole is assistant curator of antiquities at the J. Paul Getty Museum.

Antiquities, J. Paul Getty Museum Assistant Curator

Stories

  1. What Is the Egyptian Book of the Dead?

    Article

    Detail from fragmentary papyrus shows markings and symbols

    Taking a deeper look at a little-known part of Getty's collections

    Oct 19, 2023

  2. Meet the Portrait Mummy of Herakleides

    Article

    Portrait of a young man attached to a wrapped mummy made of red linen with a gilt leaf crown

    An online exhibition explores the identity of a 2000-year-old mummified man

    Jul 01, 2021

  3. How to Be King in Mesopotamia

    Article

    Clay tablet with writing inscribed in it; the bottom right corner is broken off

    (Hint: it’s not easy)

    May 04, 2021

  4. Mesopotamia: Tales from a Delayed Exhibition

    Article

    Gallery room with dark walls. Stone objects are lit up on the wall and in free-standing display cases

    Curators reflect on their work to bring ancient artworks to L.A. while COVID closed the museum

    Dec 02, 2020

  5. Photos: An Ancient Obelisk Goes Home

    Article

    Several men push a large crate through an arched doorway with ancient stones to the left

    On the two-year anniversary of its journey home, we revisit a major conservation project

    Oct 23, 2020

  6. A Brief Introduction to the Art of Ancient Assyrian Kings

    Article

    Gallery room with a person sitting on a bench.

    Explore the themes, symbolism, and narrative techniques used to decorate the palaces of ancient Assyria

    Oct 02, 2019

  7. Conserving an Ancient Obelisk

    Article

    A tall stone obelisk stands in the center of a round room. The room's floor to ceiling windows show a bright sunny day outside.

    Antiquities conservators on the challenges and rewards of conserving the tallest object ever displayed at the Getty

    Jul 16, 2018

  8. The Beauty of Greek and Roman Glass

    Article

    Interior view of a darkly lit gallery with showcases filled with small, vividly colored glass vessels

    Centuries-old glassworking techniques dazzle the modern eye at the Getty Villa

    May 03, 2018

  9. Obelisks on the Move

    Article

    Engraving showing a massive wooden scaffold used to hoist an ancient Egyptian obelisk in early modern Rome

    A look at the manpower and engineering needed to move obelisks in ancient Egypt, Rome, and today

    Dec 06, 2017

  10. Egyptian Obelisks and Their Afterlife in Ancient Rome

    Article

    A large pink-brown obelisk stands in a conservation lab, held up by conservation rigging

    A brief history of Egyptian obelisks and their adoption in the Roman Empire on the occasion of a new conservation project

    Aug 08, 2017