Silk Roads Exhibition

Since the emergence of the Roman city/port of Londinium (AD 43 - 410), there has been a major trading post on the north bank of the River Thames. Along with other navigable estuaries, it acted as a gateway to Britain from the Silk Roads complex of networks that linked communities across Asia, Africa and Europe for millennia, "Silks, spices and camels" - numerous frequent journeys of people and artefacts spread ideas and shaped cultures from across East Asia to Britain, and from Scandinavia to Madagascar.

Photo by http://www.roblog.com (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic) of ornate shoulder clasp found at Sutton Hoo ship-burial site

A new exhibition at the British Museum (26th September 2024 - 23rd February 2025), offers a unique chance to see fabulous objects which once travelled the Silk Roads 1000-1500 years ago. From Tang Chinese ceramics to dazzling garnets from India found in southern Britain (see above), the wonderful exhibition items shed light on the global trade of the time whilst stories of the people whose lives are entwined with the Silk Roads bring this lesser known era to life. The fascinating Silk Road characters include an African King, smuggling English monks and a Chinese princess who was an expert in farming silk.

There's also an on-line lecture (booking link) by the curators of the exhibition on 10th October at 5.30pm for those who can't get into London.