Tara

When we fixed up to spend a weekend in London with R and J I suggested they might find it interesting to visit the British Museum, especially now while they are exhibiting the 'History of the World in 100 Objects'. The series on Radio 4 has been fascinating and has given a refreshingly non-Eurocentric view of history. The series is by the curator of the British Museum, Neil McGregor: a brilliant communicator. The BBC website lets you download all the episodes and see the objects; now they're also getting people to add their own items of historical interest.

This statue of the Buddhist goddess Tara is one of Neil McGregor's 100 objects. It was made in Sri Lanka in about AD 700 - 750. The placard says the statue combines the spiritual with the sensual. The sculpture would have been used as a focus on the qualities Tara represents: mercy and compassion. McGregor says that at this period China, in its Tang dynasty, was the 'richest and most powerful political unit in the world'.

We spent a lot of time in the Asian section, and also saw some of the essential ancient Greek and Egyptian stuff.

Alternative '100 Objects':
Siva and Parvati
Kakeimon elephant
Tomb statues

Other museum pictures:
Daoist deity
The Great Court