UPCOMING EXHIBITION: 100 Artifacts That Shaped Human History
Looking for something a little more sophisticated to do with your free time? We recommend checking out a highly-anticipated new exhibition “British Museum – 100 Artifacts from History” coming to the Shanghai Museum on June 29th.
So what can visitors expect? Lucky for you we’ve got the scoop.
The show includes over 100 invaluable artifacts, reflecting over 2 million years of human history. The collection has made previous stops in Japan, Taiwan, Australia and United Arab Emirates. Regardless of your knowledge in history, anthropology or archaeology,
it’s a fascinating collection, and best of all- it’s free to enter!
Ok we’re about to get nerdy with the details, so you’re not into it, this would be a good time to bow out.
The artifacts on display are from all over the world and different time periods, like the Olduvai Stone Chopping Tool, China’s solar powered lightbulbs and more.
Epic of Gilgamesh | Ragged Pottery | Three Colored Sculpture | Inca Golden Alpaca
Jade Cond and Axe | Kang Hou Gui | Sophocles | Assyrian Sculpture
Mummy of Hornedjitef | Artist Hokusai’s The Great Wave of Kanagawa Woodblock Print
Dragon Ear Bottle | Mayan Altar | Hebrew Constellation Compass | Statue of Christ
With 9 main sections, artifacts come in different shapes and sizes. From the 2.6m tall and 7.2 ton Ramses II, to the dainty Visa card, each item tells a tale of human progress and innovation. Of the 100 artifacts, 8 of them are from China.
The “British Museum – 100 Artifacts from History” started in 2010, when the British Museum partnered up with BBC, explaining the world’s history through 100 artifacts. After receiving positive reviews from the show, and hitting the 11 million listener record, the British Museum decided to launch an international tour for the exhibition.
British Museum’s Oldest Artifact
Stone Chopper from the Olduvai Gorge
The first tool created by our human ancestors in Africa 2.5 million years ago.
World’s Oldest Poem
Epic of Gilgamesh
Dating 2100 BC, the Epic of Gilgamesh is the earliest surviving poem written in the Sumerian language, one of the oldest languages in the world.
World’s Oldest Harp
Queen Mary Harp
Found by Sir Charles Leonard Woodley in the Sumer period, The Queen Mary Harp is made of Celestine, gold foil, shells, rubies and more.
World’s Finest Beauty
Assyrian Sculpture
Used to be palace reliefs in the Neo-Assyrian Empire, the paintings reflect the victories and the rise of the Assyrian empire, one of the greatest empires of its time.
Mother of Human Civilizations
Olmec Mask
With an Indian heritage, the Olmecs, which dated from 1200 BCE to 400 BCE, were known as the oldest and first major civilization in America.
Bronze Pieces from the Western Zhou period
Kang Hou Gui
Dating back to the Western Zhou period, the Kang Hou Gui is a 24cm high x 41cm wide bronze vessel with long inscriptions that tells a piece of the Chinese history.
Detailed List of 100 Artifacts
(Source: All information are from the National Museum of China website and subjected to changes)
Preface Hall
000. Lady Sattjeni Coffin
SECTION 1: MAKING US HUMAN
2,000,000 – 2,500 BC
001.Olduvai Stone Chopping Tool
002.Olduvai Handaxe
003.Ice Age Cave Paintings
004.Clovis Culture
005.Indigenous Australians Basket
006.Jomon Pot
007.Bird Shaped Pestle
008.Bull’s Head Bowl
009.Narmeer Palette
010.Karpathos Female Figure
011.Jade Axe
012.Jade Cong
SECTION 2: FIRST CITIES AND STATES
3000 – 700 BC
013.Queen Mary Harp
014.Early Writing Tablet
015.Epic of Gilgamesh
016.Indus Seal
017.Olmec Stone Masks
018.Kang Hou Gui
019.Minoan Bull Leaper
020.Half-moon Collar
021.Statue of Ramesses II
SECTION 3: POWER AND PHILOSOPHY
700 BC – 100 AD
022.Gold Coin of Croesus
023.Assyrian Sculpture
024.Shabti of King Taharqa
025.Zoroaster Sculpture
026.Coin with head of Alexander
027.Rosetta Stone
028.Head of Augustus
029.Dhyana Buddha Statue
030.Bo
031.Sophocles Statue
032.Warrior Helmet
SECTION 4: RISE OF WORLD FAITHS
1 – 800 AD
033.Liubo Figurine
034.North American Otter Pipe
035.Ceremonial Ballgame Belt
036.Marble Statue of Mithras
037.Arabian Bronze Hands
038.Sutton Hoo Helmet
039.Gold Coin of Kumaragupta I
040.Seated Buddha from Gandhara
041.Statue of Tara
042.Jonah Sarcophage
043.Gold Coin of Abd al-Malik
SECTION 5: TRADERS AND RAIDERS
300 – 1100 AD
044.Three Colored Sculpture
045.Dragon’s Ear Bottle
046.Harem Wall Painting Fragments
047.Kilwa Pot Shreds
048.Borobudur Buddha Head
049.Hozne Pepper Pot
050.Carolingian Painting
051.Lothair Crystal
052.Japanese Bronze Mirror
053.Moche Warrior Port
054.Mayan Altar
SECTION 6: CHANGE AND ADJUSTMENT
900 – 1550 AD
055.Saint Hierom Sculpture
056.Shiva and Parvati Sculpture
057.Sculpture of Veracruz
058. Sculpture of Huastec Goddess
059.Inca Gold Llama
060.Double-headed Person
061.Saint Eustache Sculpture
062.Taino Ritual Seat
063.Japanese Tachi
064.Lewis Chessmen
065.Jade Dragon Cup
066.Ife Head
067.Yuan Blue and White Porcelain Plates
068.North Korean Buncheong
069.Iznik Ceramic Plates
070.Hebrew Constellation Compass
071.Dürer's 'Rhinoceros'
SECTION 7: EXPLORATION AND CONNECTION
1500 – 1800 AD
072.Barry Pickthall: Adlard Coles
073.Pieces of Eight
074.Kakiemon Elephants
075.Statue of Jesus Christ
076.Shi’a Religious Parade Standard
077.Miniature of Mughal Prince
078.Reformation Centenary Broadsheet
079.Jade Bi
080.Benin Plaque: The Oba with Europeans
081.Gold coin of Abd al-Malik
082.Shadow puppet of Bima
083.Suowei Mask
084.Maori Copper Rods
085.Hawaiian Feather Helmet
086.Soviet Union Kids Wear
087.Duplex Microscope
SECTION 9: THE WORLD OF OUR MAKING
1800 – Today
088.Ship’s Chronometer from HMS Beagle
089.Colonial Banknotes
090.Early Victorian Tea Set
091.Hokusai Comic
092.US Election Badge
093.Russian Revolution Memorabilia
094.Hockney’s We Two Boys Together Clinging
095.Afghan War Tapestry
096.War Shields
097.Fiell, Doss, Santos’ Mother
098.Credit Card
099.Counterfeit Football Jersey
100.Solar Powered Lamp
SECTION 9: MYSTERIOUS ITEM 101
If you are an archaeologist in future,
When going through items from the 21st Century,
Which item will you choose to represent the century?
With each exhibition, the organizer will include an item into the collection that represents the world today. As the 101st item and closing the exhibition, what will be the item that best represents our past, present and future…
Date: 29 June 2017 – 10 August 2017, 09:00 – 17:00,
Address: Shanghai Museum, 201 Renmin Avenue,
Price: Free Entrance
(Photography is prohibited at the exhibition)
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