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The search for knowledge about the past led to renewed interest in deciphering the mysterious forms of Egyptian hieroglyphs, the curious cuneiform inscriptions found in the lands described in the Bible, and early forms of Sanskrit in India. This increased scholarly activity eventually led to ‘cracking their codes’ in the 19th century and thousands of years of history were opened up to research. At the same time, translations were made of important books written in languages from distant lands, while nearer to home antiquaries deciphered runes and other early forms of writing, revealing more of our own history.
Religion and ritual
Trade and discovery
The birth of archaeology
Art and civilisation
Classifying the world
The natural world
The Fenton Vase, AD 600-800
A poem on papyrus
Images of cats from the British Museum collection, £9.99
Explore the cultures of the world in UK museums on the World Timelines website.
