(Above) The Yorkshire Museum is appealing to their Sun God, Sol, to bring out the rays
If you are finding this summer's weather disappointing, you might want to dodge the raindrops and make your way to The Yorkshire Museum in York, where a bold attempt to bring out the sunshine is being made.
Nestling among a fine collection of Roman artefacts at the Museum is the Romano British plaque depicting Sol, which curators say offers an ancient method of enticing the sun to come out for more than ten minutes at a time.
"He would have been worshipped here in York around a thousand years ago as the bringer of life and warmth," explained Andrew Morrison, the Museum's curator of archaeology.
"We thought people might like to come and say nice things to him or even leave a little gift. You never know, it may have a positive effect."
Measuring about 75cm square, the plaque of Sol was found in York, but the exact site was not recorded. The God's face, with his long moustache and flowing hair, would have resembled a Yorkshireman of the time. Roman authorities encouraged locals to worship their own gods by entwining them with their own rather than stamping them out.
The plaque may have formed part of a temple to the Sun God, where people would have gone to pray for a good harvest or for a particularly bad winter to end. Gifts would have been left to appease the god.
"I think everyone is a little sick of the continuous barrage of rain from the West, and with forecasters predicting more of the same for the next few weeks we thought it was time to look to other means to try and change the outlook," added Morrison.
If weather-weary members of the public do leave Sol a financial gift, the Museum will put it towards Letting in the Light, a £2 million refurbishment project at the Museum which will begin in November 2009.
