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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): Benin plaque - the Oba with Europeans

Benin plaque - the Oba with Europeans

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), Benin plaque - the Oba with EuropeansSearch BBC

Neil MacGregor with some of the best examples of African art, the great plaques of Benin.

Neil MacGregor's is describing the impact of the European age of discovery between 1450 and 1600. Today he is with some of Africa's most famous artworks, the Benin Plaques.

This week Neil MacGregor's history of the world is exploring the impact of the great European age of expansion and discovery during the 15th and 16th Centuries. In the last programme he described the technology that allowed Europeans to sail around the world in great galleons, the "space ships of their age". Today he looks at what happens when Europeans started trading in West Africa and first came upon the ancient culture of Benin in present day Nigeria. Neil describes the world of this hugely successful warrior kingdom and the culture that produced such exquisite artwork. He also describes what happened when the British raided Benin at the end of the 19th Century and the effect that these brass portraits first had when they arrived in London. The artist Sokari Douglas Camp reflects on the sculptures as art while the Nigerian poet and playwright Wole Soyinka reacts to the violent history of Benin and the loss of part of their great heritage. 

Producer: Anthony Denselow


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)

Benin plaque - the Oba with Europeans

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