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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: The First Global Economy (1450 - 1600 AD): The mechanical galleon

The mechanical galleon

The First Global Economy (1450 - 1600 AD)

A History of the World in 100 Objects Omnibus

BBC Radio 4 - A History of the World in 100 Objects, The First Global Economy (1450 - 1600 AD), The mechanical galleonSearch BBC

Neil Macgregor with a clockwork galleon designed for a grand dinner table.

Neil MacGregor's world history explores the impact of the great age of European discovery between 1450 and 1600. Today he is with a magnificent clockwork galleon. 

Neil MacGregor's world history as told through things. This week he is exploring the impact of Western European travel, trade and conquest between 1450 and 1600. He kicks off with an exquisite miniature version of the sort of high tech vessel that was to take Europeans right around the world. Today's object is a small clockwork version of the type of galleon that the Spanish sent against England in the Armada and that they  sent across the high seas. This one was made for a grand dinner table - it could move, make music, tell the time and fire tiny cannons. Neil discusses the significance of this new breed of sailing ships and describes the political state that this galleon symbolises - the Holy Roman Empire. The marine archaeologist Christopher Dobbs compares the tiny galleon to the Mary Rose in Portsmouth and the historian Lisa Jardine considers the European fascination with mechanics and technology throughout the 16th Century.

Producer: Anthony Denselow
Music research specifically for the Akan drum: Michael Doran

A History of the World in 100 Objects: The First Global Economy (1450 - 1600 AD)

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 traces the impact of travel, trade and conquest from 1450 to 1600.

Neil MacGregor uses objects from around the world to chart Europe's expanding maritime trade and empires that created the first global economy between 1450 and 1600.

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A History of the World in 100 Objects

The First Global Economy (1450 - 1600 AD)

The mechanical galleon

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