The 100 British Museum objects

See all the objects from the Radio 4 series A History of the World in 100 Objects. Click on any link to find out more about an object, zoom in on the image and listen again or download the programme.

Series 1 (January - February 2010)

  1. Making Us Human (2,000,000 - 9000 BC)
  2. After the Ice Age: Food and Sex (9000 - 3500 BC)

  3. Mummy of Hornedjitef 1: Mummy of Hornedjitef
  4. Bird-shaped pestle 6: Bird-shaped pestle
  5. Olduvai stone chopping tool 2: Olduvai stone chopping tool
  6. Ain Sakhri lovers figurine 7: Ain Sakhri lovers figurine
  7. Olduvai handaxe 3: Olduvai handaxe
  8. Egyptian clay model of cattle 8: Egyptian clay model of cattle
  9. Swimming reindeer 4: Swimming reindeer
  10. Maya maize god statue 9: Maya maize god statue
  11. Clovis spear point 5: Clovis spear point
  12. Jomon pot 10: Jomon pot





  13. The First Cities and States (4000 - 2000 BC)
  14. The Beginning of Science & Literature (1500 - 700 BC)

  15. King Den's sandal label 11: King Den's sandal label
  16. Flood Tablet 16: Flood Tablet
  17. Standard of Ur 12: Standard of Ur
  18. Rhind Mathematical Papyrus 17: Rhind Mathematical Papyrus
  19. Indus seal 13: Indus seal
  20. Minoan Bull Leaper 18: Minoan Bull Leaper
  21. Jade axe 14: Jade axe
  22. Mold Gold Cape 19: Mold Gold Cape
  23. Early writing tablet 15: Early writing tablet
  24. Statue of Ramesses II 20: Statue of Ramesses II





  25. Old World, New Powers (1100 - 300 BC)
  26. The World in the Age of Confucius (500 - 300 BC)

  27. Lachish Reliefs 21: Lachish Reliefs
  28. Oxus chariot model 26: Oxus chariot model
  29. Sphinx of Taharqo 22: Sphinx of Taharqo
  30. Parthenon sculpture: Centaur and Lapith 27: Parthenon sculpture: Centaur and Lapith
  31. Chinese Zhou ritual vessel 23: Chinese Zhou ritual vessel
  32. Basse Yutz Flagons 28: Basse Yutz Flagons
  33. Paracas textile 24: Paracas textile
  34. Olmec stone mask 29: Olmec stone mask
  35. Gold coin of Croesus 25: Gold coin of Croesus
  36. Chinese bronze bell 30: Chinese bronze bell

Series 2 (May - July 2010)

  1. Empire Builders (300BC - 1 AD)
  2. Ancient Pleasures, Modern Spice (1 AD - 600 AD)

  3. Coin with head of Alexander 31: Coin with head of Alexander
  4. Warren Cup 36: Warren Cup
  5. Pillar of Ashoka 32: Pillar of Ashoka
  6. North American otter pipe 37: North American otter pipe
  7. Rosetta Stone 33: Rosetta Stone
  8. Ceremonial ballgame belt 38: Ceremonial ballgame belt
  9. Chinese Han lacquer cup 34: Chinese Han lacquer cup
  10. Admonitions Scroll 39: Admonitions Scroll
  11. Head of Augustus 35: Head of Augustus
  12. Hoxne pepper pot 40: Hoxne pepper pot





  13. The Rise of World Faiths (200 - 600 AD)
  14. The Silk Road and Beyond (400 - 700 AD)

  15. Seated Buddha from Gandhara 41: Seated Buddha from Gandhara
  16. Gold coin of Abd al-Malik 46: Gold coin of Abd al-Malik
  17. Gold coin of Kumaragupta I 42: Gold coin of Kumaragupta I
  18. Sutton Hoo helmet 47: Sutton Hoo helmet
  19. Silver plate showing Shapur II 43: Silver plate showing Shapur II
  20. Moche warrior pot 48: Moche warrior pot
  21. Hinton St Mary Mosaic 44: Hinton St Mary Mosaic
  22. Korean roof tile 49: Korean roof tile
  23. Arabian bronze hand 45: Arabian bronze hand
  24. Silk princess painting 50: Silk princess painting





  25. Inside the Palace: Secrets at Court (700 - 950 AD)
  26. Pilgrims, Raiders and Traders (900 - 1300 AD)

  27. Maya relief of royal blood-letting 51: Maya relief of royal blood-letting
  28. Vale of York Hoard 56: Vale of York Hoard
  29. Harem wall painting fragments 52: Harem wall painting fragments
  30. Hedwig glass beaker 57: Hedwig glass beaker
  31. Lothair Crystal 53: Lothair Crystal
  32. Japanese bronze mirror 58: Japanese bronze mirror
  33. Statue of Tara 54: Statue of Tara
  34. Borobudur Buddha head 59: Borobudur Buddha head
  35. Chinese Tang tomb figures 55: Chinese Tang tomb figures
  36. Kilwa pot sherds 60: Kilwa pot sherds





  37. Status Symbols (1200 - 1400 AD)
  38. Meeting the Gods (1200 - 1400 AD)

  39. Lewis Chessmen 61: Lewis Chessmen
  40. Holy Thorn Reliquary 66: Holy Thorn Reliquary
  41. Hebrew astrolabe 62: Hebrew astrolabe
  42. Icon of the Triumph of Orthodoxy 67: Icon of the Triumph of Orthodoxy
  43. Ife head 63: Ife head
  44. Shiva and Parvati sculpture 68: Shiva and Parvati sculpture
  45. The David Vases 64: The David Vases
  46. Sculpture of Huastec goddess 69: Sculpture of Huastec goddess
  47. Taino ritual seat 65: Taino ritual seat
  48. Hoa Hakananai'a Easter Island statue 70: Hoa Hakananai'a Easter Island statue

Series 3 (September - October 2010)

  1. The Threshold of the Modern World (1375 - 1550 AD)
  2. The First Global Economy (1450 - 1600 AD)

  3. Tughra of Suleiman the Magnificent 71: Tughra of Suleiman the Magnificent
  4. The mechanical galleon 76: The mechanical galleon
  5. Ming banknote 72: Ming banknote
  6. Benin plaque: the oba with Europeans 77: Benin plaque: the oba with Europeans
  7. Inca gold llama 73: Inca gold llama
  8. Double-headed serpent 78: Double-headed serpent
  9. Jade dragon cup 74: Jade dragon cup
  10. Kakiemon elephants 79: Kakiemon elephants
  11. Dürer's 'Rhinoceros' 75: Dürer's 'Rhinoceros'
  12. Pieces of eight 80: Pieces of eight





  13. Tolerance and Intolerance (1550 - 1700 AD)
  14. Exploration, Exploitation and Enlightenment (1680 - 1820 AD)

  15. Shi'a religious parade standard 81: Shi'a religious parade standard
  16. Akan drum 86: Akan drum
  17. Miniature of a Mughal prince 82: Miniature of a Mughal prince
  18. Hawaiian feather helmet 87: Hawaiian feather helmet
  19. Shadow puppet of Bima 83: Shadow puppet of Bima
  20. North American buckskin map 88: North American buckskin map
  21. Mexican codex map 84: Mexican codex map
  22. Australian bark shield 89: Australian bark shield
  23. Reformation centenary broadsheet 85: Reformation centenary broadsheet
  24. Jade bi 90: Jade bi





  25. Mass Production, Mass Persuasion (1780 - 1914 AD)
  26. The World of Our Making (1914 - 2010 AD)

  27. Ship's chronometer from HMS Beagle 91: Ship's chronometer from HMS Beagle
  28. Russian revolutionary plate 96: Russian revolutionary plate
  29. Early Victorian tea set 92: Early Victorian tea set
  30. Hockney's 'In the dull village' 97: Hockney's 'In the dull village'
  31. Hokusai's 'The Great Wave' 93: Hokusai's 'The Great Wave'
  32. Throne of Weapons 98: Throne of Weapons
  33. Sudanese slit drum 94: Sudanese slit drum
  34. Credit card 99: Credit card
  35. Suffragette defaced penny 95: Suffragette defaced penny
  36. Object 100 100: Object 100

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