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The Rise of World Faiths (AD 100 - 600)

Neil MacGregor continues his global history as told through objects from the British Museum's collection. This week - how the world's great religions began to portray the divine.

Neil MacGregor, the director of the British Museum in London, continues his global history as told through objects from the Museum's collection. In this episode he is looking at the way the world's great religions began to perfect a way to visually express the divine, less than 2000 years ago.
He begins with a stone sculpture from modern day Pakistan that would create the classic image of the real life Buddha who lived and roamed around North India in the 5th Century BC. His journey takes him onwards to Damascus, modern day Iran and Dorset in Great Britain.

Producers: Paul Kobrak and Anthony Denselow

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1 hour

Broadcasts

  • Fri 30 Jul 2010 21:00
  • Sun 15 Jan 2012 17:00
  • Fri 12 Mar 2021 21:00