British Museum unveils Silk Road exhibition

The British Museum opened a Silk Road exhibition for a media preview on Tuesday, showcasing over 300 objects, including items from 29 national and international institutions.

Spanning from around 500 to 1000 A.D., the exhibition explores how the journeys of people, objects and ideas along the Silk Road shaped cultures and histories across continents.

Nicholas Cullinan, director of the British Museum, told Xinhua that through partnerships with organizations worldwide, the exhibition demonstrates the connection between different cultures. "Even though we have distinct cultures and viewpoints, there are deep links that connect them," he said.

Luk Yu-ping, co-curator of the exhibition, emphasized the relevance of the past to the present. "In the past, China was central to these vast networks, influencing economic development and cultural exchange. This is mirrored today in initiatives like the Belt and Road, where China again plays a vital role in the global economy," she noted.

Luk highlighted the connections between China's Tang Dynasty and the world. "For instance, we focus on maritime routes linking China to West Asia, illustrated by artifacts from the 9th-century Belitung shipwreck, which carried ceramics, gold and silverware from Tang China, discovered off Indonesia's coast."

Sue Brunning, another co-curator, explained the broad geographical scope of the Silk Road. "We're portraying it as a series of overlapping networks connecting Asia, Africa and Europe. Although Northwest Europe is often overlooked in Silk Road discussions, our exhibition concludes with artifacts found in Scotland that can be traced back to present-day Iran," she said.

The exhibition will open to the public from Thursday until Feb 23, 2025.