Although the term ‘Silk Road’ may conjure up visions of one route on which merchants on camels transported the fine fabric, the reality is that the Silk Road was actually a network of roads that encompassed the known world and which went beyond just silk, or even spices. The story of these routes, which transformed life in many parts of the world, is now the subject of an exhibition opening at The British Museum in London on September 26, 2024.
Simply titled “Silk Roads”, the exhibition zooms in on the various ways merchants from the east and the west traded goods between AD 500 and 1,000. It does so through a myriad of objects and stories, collected from across the world thanks to collaborative effort that includes 29 national and international partners.
Among the most amazing artefacts that will be on display are Tang Chinese ceramics that made it to the Middle East, and Indian garnets that found their way to Suffolk in England. There will also be objects from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, Africa, Scandinavia, and Madagascar, showing that Asia, Africa, and Europe were interconnected through the many Silk Roads.
The exhibition also tells the story of numerous figures that left their mark on these routes, like those of a legendary Chinese princess who reportedly shared the secrets of how silk farming was conducted with another kingdom, and of Willibald, who smuggled balsam along the route.
The exhibition runs until February 23, 2025, and tickets cost £22 for adults (approx. €26.26).