A History of the World in 100 Objects

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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.

A History of the World in 100 Objects: The Silk Road And Beyond (400 - 700 AD): Gold Coins of Abd al-Malik

Gold Coins of Abd al-Malik

The Silk Road And Beyond (400 - 700 AD)

A History of the World in 100 Objects Omnibus

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Neil MacGregor with gold coins from Syria and the transformation of the Middle East.

Neil MacGregor's history of the world as told through objects at the British Museum in London. Today, gold coins from Syria sum up one of history's greatest political upheavals.


The history of the world as told through one hundred of the objects that time has left behind. The objects are from the British Museum and tell the story of humanity over the past 2 million years. They are chosen by the museum's director, Neil MacGregor. 

This week he is exploring the world along and beyond the Silk Road in the 7th century AD at a time when the teachings of the prophet Muhammad were transforming the Middle East forever. Today he looks at how the Syrian capital Damascus was rapidly becoming the centre of a new Islamic empire. He tells the story through two gold coins that perfectly capture the moment - with contributions from the historian Hugh Kennedy and the anthropologist Madawi Al-Rasheed.

Producer: Rebecca Stratford


A History of the World in 100 Objects: The Silk Road And Beyond (400 - 700 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.

Five objects from the British Museum tell the story of the movement of goods and ideas

Five objects from the British Museum tell the story of the movement of goods and ideas, along the Silk Road out of China, to Korea and even as far as East Anglia

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A History of the World in 100 Objects

The Silk Road And Beyond (400 - 700 AD)

Gold Coins of Abd al-Malik

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