Two concepts that might seem to be hallmarks of our current era, connectivity and multiculturalism, are put into a fascinating historical context by this unforgettable exhibition. Silk Roads focuses on the extraordinary connections that existed among Asia, Africa and Europe in the period from about 500 to 1000 CE. The show has five divisions moving from Japan to Ireland, and it demonstrates the amazingly rich and varied interaction of different cultures during the period. A sweeping movement of goods, people, ideas and belief systems leads to a cross-fertilisation which is astonishing, but often insufficiently appreciated. With more than 300 objects and texts from almost thirty lenders, this is a stunning overview that takes the visitor on a journey which provides glimpses into the Nara period in Japan and the Tang dynasty of China. It then goes on to explore the lesser known civilisations of the Sogdians and Aksumites among others, before focussing on the Byzantine empire and the scholarly world of Islam. Finally, there is an encounter with the seafaring Vikings, and then the odyssey concludes in the monastic enclaves of England and Ireland. Beneath that broad sweep of history however, there are also some intriguing personal tales. There is the Chinese princess who shares the secrets of silk culture with her new kingdom, the machinations of the English smuggler and monk, Willibald, and the Jewish synagogue which preserves manuscripts from an unusually eclectic group of sources. This is an exhibition which manages to encompass the breadth and depth of its subject without overwhelming the viewer. It beautifully addresses the intellectual complexity and emotional reality of sociocultural synergy. It reflects a period that is not as different from our own as we might at first think.
Rated: ★★★★★
Reviewed by J.C.
Image: Ceramic figure of a camel from the tomb of Liu Tingxun, China, AD 728 © The Trustees of the British Museum
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