A History of the World in 100 Objects

A 100 part series by Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum, exploring world history from two million years ago to the present

Listen to the programmes

Catch up with all 100 programmes in the series

Olduvai stone chopping tool

Week 1

Making Us Human (2,000,000 - 9000 BC)

Five objects that help reveal what makes us human.

Image: Olduvai stone chopping tool, 2 million years old, Tanzania
Egyptian clay model of cattle

Week 2

After the Ice Age: Food and Sex (9000 - 3500 BC)

Objects that tell the story of the start of farming.

Image: Egyptian clay model of cattle, Egypt, about 3,500 BC
King Den's sandal label

Week 3

The First Cities and States (4000 - 2000 BC)

Cities and states emerge in the river valleys of Africa and Asia

Image: King Den's sandal label, Egypt, about 2985 BC
Minoan Bull Leaper

Week 4

The Beginning of Science and Literature (1500 - 700 BC)

Growing societies develop myth, maths and monuments.

Image: Minoan Bull Leaper, Crete, 1700-1450 BC
Sphinx of Taharqo

Week 5

Old World, New Powers (1100 - 300 BC)

Across the world new regimes assert their supremacy.

Image: Sphinx of Taharqo, Sudan, about 680 BC
Basse Yutz flagons

Week 6

The World in the Age of Confucius (500 - 300 BC)

Meanings hidden in objects tell as much as writings of great men.

Image: Basse Yutz flagons, France, about 450 BC
Head of Augustus

Week 7

Empire Builders (300 BC - 1 AD)

From Alexander the Great to Caesar Augustus: an age of great empires.

Image: Head of Augustus, Meroë, Sudan, about about 27-25 BC
North American otter pipe

Week 8

Ancient Pleasures, Modern Spice (1-600 AD)

Pipe-smoking to sex: pleasure around the world 2,000 years ago

Image: North American otter pipe, Ohio, USA, 200 BC-AD 100
Arabian bronze hand

Week 9

The rise of world faiths (AD 200-600)

How and when many great religious images came into existence

Image: Arabian bronze hand, Yemen, 2nd-3rd century AD
Korean rooftile

Week 10

The Silk Road and beyond (400-700 AD)

Five objects tell the story of the movement of goods and ideas

Image: Korean rooftile, Korea, 8th century AD
Lothair Crystal

Week 11

Inside the palace: secrets at court (700-950 AD)

Five objects shedding light on the lives of ruling elites

Image: Lothair Crystal, probably made in Germany, AD 855-869
Kilwa pot sherds

Week 12

Pilgrims, raiders and traders (900-1300 AD)

Hear how trade, war and religion moved objects around the world

Image: Kilwa pot sherds, Tanzania, 10th-14th century AD
Hebrew astrolabe

Week 13

Status symbols (AD 1200-1400)

Explore a period of learning and science through magnificent objects

Image: Hebrew astrolabe, Spain, AD 1345 - 1355
Hoa Hakananai'a Easter Island statue

Week 14

Meeting the gods (1200-1500 AD)

Objects that show how the faithful were brought closer to their gods

Image: Hoa Hakananai'a Easter Island statue, AD 1000
Tughra of Suleiman the Magnificent

Week 15

The threshold of the modern world (AD 1375-1550)

Discover the great empires that ruled the world 500 years ago

Image: Tughra of Suleiman the Magnificent, AD 1520-1566
Benin plaque: the oba with Europeans

Week 16

The first global economy (1450-1600 AD)

Objects charting Europe's expanding maritime trade and empires

Image: Benin plaque: the oba with Europeans, 16th century AD
Shadow puppet of Bima

Week 17

Tolerance and Intolerance (AD 1550-1700)

The relationships between faiths across the globe about 400 years ago

Image: Shadow puppet of Bima, Indonesia, AD 1800-1816
Hawaiian feather helmet

Week 18

Exploration, Exploitation and Enlightenment (AD 1680-1820)

Travel back to the 18th century - the Age of the European Enlightenment

Image: Hawaiian feather helmet, 18th century
Suffragette defaced penny

Week 19

Mass production, Mass persuasion (AD 1780 - 1914)

How industrialisation, mass politics and imperialism changed the world

Image: Suffragette defaced penny, 1903
Russian revolutionary plate

Week 20

The world of our making (AD 1914 - 2010)

Explore contemporary sexual, political and economic history

Image: Russian revolutionary plate, (decorated) 1921

Discover the 100 objects featured in the Radio 4 series; listen to the programmes online and download the podcast; see what other museums in the UK have contributed, and find out more about the project on the BBC and British Museum A History of the World website.

See all 100 objects

Get the podcast – catch up and keep

Read the History of the World blog

Explore A History of the World on the BBC website