BBC Radio Podcasts from A History of the World in 100 Objects

Object 101

Neil MacGregor updates his famous radio series with an object chosen to represent 2020.

Solar-powered lamp and charger

Neil MacGregor's last object in his world history - a solar-powered lamp and charger.

Credit card

Neil MacGregor with a credit card - one that is compliant with Sharia law.

Throne of Weapons

Neil MacGregor with an African throne - made from decommissioned guns.

Hockney's In the Dull Village

Neil MacGregor considers the state of human rights - with a David Hockney print.

Russian revolutionary plate

Neil MacGregor nears the end of his world history - with a Russian revolutionary plate.

Suffragette-defaced penny

Neil MacGregor with a penny coin defaced by suffragettes with the words "Votes for women".

Sudanese slit drum

Neil MacGregor with a wooden drum from Sudan that Kitchener presented to Queen Victoria.

Hokusai's The Great Wave

Neil MacGregor with a familiar image - Hokusai's The Great Wave.

Early Victorian tea set

Neil MacGregor tells the story of the global trade in tea - with a Victorian tea set.

Ship's chronometer from HMS Beagle

Neil MacGregor with a chronometer that accompanied Darwin to South America.

Jade bi

Neil MacGregor with an object from the 18th-century Chinese Enlightenment - a jade disc

Australian Bark Shield

Neil MacGregor with a bark shield brought from Australia by Captain Cook

North American Buckskin Map

Neil MacGregor with a buckskin map from North America

Hawaiian feather helmet

Neil MacGregor with a feathered helmet given to Captain Cook by Pacific Islanders.

Akan Drum

Neil MacGregor with an African drum taken to America during the slave trade

Reformation Centenary Broadsheet

Neil MacGregor with a souvenir of the 100th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.

Mexican Codex Map

Neil MacGregor explores the Spanish religious conquest of Mexico with a map.

Shadow Puppet of Bima

Neil MacGregor explores religion and politics in South East Asia through a shadow puppet.

Miniature of a Mughal Prince

Neil MacGregor with a miniature painting from Mughal India.

Shi'a Religious Parade Standard

Neil Macgregor with a powerful symbol from Shia Iran.

Pieces of eight

Neil MacGregor with the first truly global money - silver pieces of eight.

Kakiemon elephants

Neil MacGregor with porcelain white elephants from Japan.

Double-headed serpent

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

Benin plaque - the Oba with Europeans

Neil MacGregor with some of the best examples of African art, the great plaques of Benin.

The mechanical galleon

Neil Macgregor with a clockwork galleon designed for a grand dinner table.

Durer's Rhinoceros

Neil MacGregor with Durer's extraordinary image of a rhino - an animal he had never seen.

Jade dragon cup

Neil MacGregor with a jade cup that belonged a great leader of the Timurid Empire.

Inca gold llama

Neil MacGregor with a model of a llama - the animal behind the Inca Empire.

Ming banknote

Neil MacGregor with a 14th century bank note - from Ming Dynasty China.

Tughra of Suleiman the Magnificent

Neil Macgregor with the personal monogram of Suleyman the Magnificent.

Hoa Hakananai'a Easter Island statue

Neil MacGregor with one of the extraordinary giant figures from Easter Island.

Statue of Huastec goddess

Neil MacGregor with the sculpture of a goddess made by the Huastec people of Mexico.

Shiva and Parvati sculpture

Neil MacGregor with a stone sculpture of the Hindu deity Shiva and his consort Parvati.

Icon of the Triumph of Orthodoxy

Neil MacGregor with a 14th century icon from the Byzantine Empire.

Holy Thorn Reliquary

Neil MacGregor with a reliquary made for a thorn from Christ's crown of thorns.

Taino ritual seat

Neil MacGregor with a ritual seat from a Caribbean culture that has been destroyed.

The David Vases

Neil MacGregor - and the transformation of ordinary clay into beautiful Chinese porcelain.

Ife head

Neil MacGregor with a magnificent brass head from the African city of Ife.

Hebrew astrolabe

Neil MacGregor with an extraordinary astronomical instrument.

Lewis Chessmen

Neil Macgregor's history through objects - today the famous Lewis chessmen.

Kilwa pot sherds

Neil MacGregor - unlocking secrets with broken pots from East Africa.

Borobudur Buddha head

Neil MacGregor with a head of the Buddha from Borobudur.

Japanese bronze mirror

Neil MacGregor with a bronze mirror from a sacred pond in Japan.

Hedwig glass beaker

Neil MacGregor with a glass vessel linked with a saintly miracle worker.

Vale of York Hoard

Neil Macgregor with a great Viking hoard from the Vale of York.

Chinese Tang tomb figures

Neil MacGregor with a collection of tomb figures from Tang dynasty China

Statue of Tara

Neil MacGregor with a beguiling statue of the Buddhist deity Tara

Lothair Crystal

Neil MacGregor with an engraved crystal and royal intrigue at the heart of Europe

Harem wall painting fragments

Neil MacGregor with mysterious faces from the harem in an ancient city north of Baghdad

Maya relief of royal blood-letting

Neil Macgregor with a disturbing, bloody image from the ancient Mayan civilisation

Silk princess painting

Neil MacGregor continues his history of the world with a painting from the Silk Road.

Korean roof tile

Neil MacGregor delves into the history of an artefact from Korea.

Moche warrior pot

Neil MacGregor with a warrior figure from a lost people of Peru.

Sutton Hoo helmet

Neil MacGregor with one of the most sensational finds from Anglo-Saxon Britain.

Gold Coins of Abd al-Malik

Neil MacGregor with gold coins from Syria and the transformation of the Middle East.

Arabian bronze hand

A mysterious bronze hand tells the story of religious belief in Arabia before Islam.

Hinton St Mary Mosaic

Neil MacGregor encounters one of the earliest images of Christ.

Silver plate showing Shapur II

Neil MacGregor, with a dramatic image of power and faith from ancient Iran.

Gold coin of Kumaragupta I

Neil MacGregor with gold coins from North India.

Seated Buddha from Gandhara

Neil MacGregor with one of world religion's most iconic images - the Buddha.

Hoxne pepper pot

Neil MacGregor uses a silver pepper pot to tell of the Roman spice trade with India.

Admonitions Scroll

Neil MacGregor and an ancient Chinese scroll that rules on how women should behave.

Ceremonial ballgame belt

Neil MacGregor discovers the oldest ball game on earth.

North American otter pipe

Neil MacGregor and a 2,000-year-old stone pipe from North America.

Warren Cup

Neil MacGregor and a Roman silver cup with the power to shock.

Head of Augustus

The 2000 year old bronze head of one of the world's most famous rulers - Caesar Augustus

Chinese Han lacquer cup

Neil MacGregor's world history told through objects arrives in Han Dynasty China

Rosetta Stone

Neil MacGregor with one of the past's most recognisable objects; the Rosetta Stone

Pillar of Ashoka

Neil MacGregor on the life and legacy of the great Indian ruler Ashoka

Head of Alexander

Neil MacGregor is with the great rulers of the world over 2000 years ago.

Chinese Bronze Bell

Neil Macgregor tells the story of a Chinese bronze bell from the age of Confucius

Olmec Stone Mask

Neil MacGregor's history of the world tells of a forgotten people of ancient Mexico.

Basse Yutz Flagons

Neil MacGregor continues his material history of humanity, with the early Celts.

Parthenon Sculpture: Centaur + Lapith

Neil MacGregor with some of the world's most disputed objects - the Parthenon sculptures

Oxus Chariot Model

Neil MacGregor tells the story of a tiny gold chariot from ancient Persia.

Gold Coin of Croesus

Neil MacGregor's retelling of history through objects - gold coins of Croesus

Paracas Textile Fragment

Neil MacGregor's world history through objects. Today: ancient textiles from Peru

Chinese Zhou Ritual Vessel

Neil MacGregor's world history told through objects arrives in China 3000 years ago

Sphinx of Taharqo

Neil MacGregor's history of the world told through objects; a sphinx with a pharaoh's head

Lachish Reliefs

Neil MacGregor's world history continues with images of war made over 2500 years ago

Statue of Ramesses

The world of Egypt as ruled by Ramesses II and told through one of his giant statues

Mold Gold Cape

Neil MacGregor tells the story of a gold cape found in Wales and made over 3500 years ago.

Minoan Bull Leaper

Neil MacGregor's history arrives at a Minoan treasure and a dangerous hobby from 1700 BC

Rhind Mathematical Papyrus

Neil MacGregor describes man's early calculations on an Egyptian papyrus fragment

Flood tablet

Neil MacGregor's world history - an account of a great flood much older than the Bible.

Early Writing Tablet

Neil MacGregor explores early writing through a 5,000-year-old tablet about beer!

Jade Axe

Neil MacGregor's global history told through objects - a 6,000-year-old axe found in Kent.

Indus Seal

Neil MacGregor's global history told through objects - stone seals from the Indus Valley.

Standard of Ur

Neil MacGregor's global history told through objects. Today, battle scenes from Iraq.

King Den's Sandal Label

Neil MacGregor's world history told through objects. Today, a great Pharaoh's sandal label

Jomon Pot

Neil MacGregor tells the story of a 7,000-year-old Japanese pot and a forgotten people

Maya Maize God Statue

Neil MacGregor discovers how the early Mayans of Central America created a god out of food

Egyptian Clay Model of Cattle

Neil MacGregor tells the colourful tale of four Egyptian clay cows older than the pyramids

Ain Sakri Lovers Figuerine

Neil MacGregor's material history of human society - the story of two lovers

Bird-shaped Pestle

Neil MacGregor reveals how man-made objects reflect the story of human development

Clovis Spear Point

Neil MacGregor reveals how man-made objects reflect the story of human development

Swimming Reindeer

Neil MacGregor investigates how humanity's development is reflected in the things it makes

Olduvai Handaxe

Neil MacGregor continues his history of human society with the story of a handaxe

Olduvai Stone Chopping Tool

Every object has a story; Neil MacGregor continues his material history of human society

Mummy of Hornedjitef

Neil MacGregor retells humanity's history through the objects it has made