London, (TDI): The British Museum has opened its long-awaited “Silk Roads” exhibition, which explores the intricate networks that connected civilizations across Asia, Africa, and Europe for centuries.
The exhibit, featuring items such as ancient chess pieces and unique artifacts on loan from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, aims to challenge conventional narratives about the famed trading routes.
Running until February 23, 2025, the exhibition delves into the period between AD 500 and 1,000, highlighting a time when cultural exchanges, technological advancements, and religious influences flourished across a vast expanse of interlinked routes.
The British Museum collaborated with 29 national and international partners to bring the exhibition to life, presenting objects never before seen in the UK.
Read Road: Indian Ocean Geopolitics: Pakistan & Maritime Silk Road Nexus
“Rather than a single trade route from East to West, the Silk Roads were made up of overlapping networks linking communities across Asia, Africa, and Europe, from East Asia to Britain, and from Scandinavia to Madagascar,” the museum noted.
Uzbekistan’s Prominent Role in Exhibition
Uzbekistan plays a prominent role in the exhibition, contributing items such as the oldest known set of chess pieces and a six-meter-long mural from Samarkand’s ‘Hall of the Ambassadors,’ which illustrates the cosmopolitan culture of the Sogdians—renowned traders of the period.
Saida Mirziyoyeva, daughter of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, attended the opening ceremony, calling it “a must-see for anyone passionate about Silk Road history!”
Read Also: Pakistan ‘Guest of Honor’ at Silk Road Expo
The National Museum of Tajikistan, a key partner since 2022, has lent several items linked to 7th and 8th century Buddhist culture, adding to the exhibition’s diverse portrayal of religious and cultural exchanges.
Alongside these artifacts, the exhibition also tells the stories of an African, king, a Chinese princess, and other historical figures whose lives intersected with the Silk Roads, offering a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of these ancient trade networks.
