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A History of the World in 100 Objects

Factual: History

Director of the British Museum, Neil MacGregor, retells humanity's history through objects

Director of the British Museum, Neil MacGregor, narrates 100 programmes that retell humanity's history through the objects we have made.

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A History of the World in 100 Objects: Status Symbols (1200 - 1400 AD): Taino ritual seat

Taino Ritual Seat

Taino ritual seat

Status Symbols (1200 - 1400 AD)

A History of the World in 100 Objects Omnibus

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Neil MacGregor with a ritual seat from a Caribbean culture that has been destroyed.

The history of humanity as told through surviving objects. Today Neil MacGregor tells the story of a beautifully carved ritual seat from a lost Caribbean culture.

The history of humanity as told through one hundred objects from the British Museum. This week the Museum's director, Neil MacGregor, is exploring high status objects from across the world around 700 years ago. 

Today he tells the story of a beautifully carved ritual seat - an object which has survived the  destruction of the Caribbean culture that produced. This four legged wooden stool, or duho, with its long shape and wide-eyed face probably belonged to a chief, or "cacique" of the Taino people of the Caribbean.  Taino was a term used to describe a spectrum of peoples who originated in South America and who populated the whole region, including Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico and Jamaica. Neil tells the story of the Taino speaking people and their demise following the arrival of Europeans. The archaeologist Jose Oliver looks at how the Taino spread around the Caribbean while the Puerto Rican scholar Gabriel Haslip-Vieira explains their impact on the region today. 

Producer: Anthony Denselow


A History of the World in 100 Objects: Status Symbols (1200 - 1400 AD)

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Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Neil MacGregor examines objects which hold status and required skilful making

Neil MacGregor explores this period of learning and scientific achievement through magnificent objects which were used by the wealthy to reflect their status

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A History of the World in 100 Objects

Status Symbols (1200 - 1400 AD)

Taino ritual seat

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