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.

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

Double-headed serpent

The First Global Economy (1450 - 1600 AD)

A History of the World in 100 Objects Omnibus

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Neil MacGregor with one of the stars of the British Museum - an Aztec serpent

Neil MacGregor is this week focusing on European encounters around the world between 1450 and 1600. Today he is one of the great objects of the Aztecs - a turquoise serpent.

The history of humanity - as told through one hundred objects from the British Museum in London - is back in South America. This week Neil MacGregor, the museum's director, is with objects from around the world between 1450 and 1600. This is the time of huge European expansion thanks to the new developments in ship building. Today he is with an object made by the Aztecs of present day Mexico. He describes the Aztec world and the Spanish conquest of this culture, through a double-headed serpent made from tiny pieces of turquoise - one of the stars of the British Museum. The Aztec specialist Adriane Diaz Enciso discusses the role of the snake in Aztec belief while the conservator Rebecca Stacey describes the scientific detective work that the object has prompted. 

Producer: Anthony Denselow


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

Double-headed serpent

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