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The Silk Roads: arts, history and exploration
8 July 2019 @ 9:30 am - 11 July 2019 @ 5:00 pm BST
The Silk Roads: arts, history and exploration
Buddha, 2nd c., National Museum New Delhi 68.187.
Photographer Daniel Waugh
A Royal Asiatic Society Summer School
Monday July 8 – Thursday July 11, 2019
The influence of the interactions enabled by the Afro-Eurasian trade routes known as the Silk Roads are much in discussion today, especially with China’s Belt Road Initiative. But what is the story of the Silk Road? Does such a concept make sense? What does it mean in terms of the history and arts of pre-modern Afro-Eurasia?
In this 4 day course, leading scholars on the historical Silk Road will introduce the term, its history and the 20th century explorations which brought the role of central Asia to the fore. The course will then look in some details at aspects of Silk Road art and technologies: silk production, books and printing, glass, ceramics and metalware. The participants will have the chance to see original manuscripts and books at the British Library and the Royal Asiatic Society, introduced by their curators.
This is a course intended for a general audience. No prior knowledge is required, although a short bibliography will be supplied for those wishing to do some reading in advance. The group will be limited to 12-15 people and therefore there will be ample opportunity for questions and group discussion.
The Silk Roads: arts, history and exploration
DETAILS
Venue: The Royal Asiatic Society, 14 Stephenson Way, London NW1 2HD
Duration: 4 days Monday-Thursday non residential
Cost: £600 Non-residential including 3 lunches and tea and coffee (Fellows receive a 12% discount).
COURSE ORGANISERS AND LEAD TUTORS
Dr. Susan Whitfield Honorary Senior Lecturer, University College London
Dr. Alison Ohta Director, Royal Asiatic Society
Dr. Peter Coles Morus Londinium and Goldsmiths’ College London
Mélodie Doumy IDP, The British Library
For further information: ao@royalasiaticsociety.org;
Photographer: John Falconer
PROGRAMME
Monday: 8 July The Silk Road: History, Art and Exploration
09.30-10.30: Welcome, introductions and practical matters over coffee
10.30-12.30: The Silk Road: Introduction to its History and Art
12.30-14.00: Sandwich lunch
14.00-17.00: The Silk Road: Exploration and Discovery (2 lectures with break)
The Silk Roads: arts, history and exploration
Tuesday 9 July: Silks and Sericulture on the Silk Road
10.00-11.30: Sericulture and its Spread
11.30-13.00: Silks in Buddhism
13.00-14.30: Lunch
14.30-16.00: Silks in Christianity
16.30-19.00: England’s Early Silk Industry: Walk and lecture in St James led by Dr. Peter Coles
Followed by early evening drinks
Wednesday 10 July: Books, paper and printing on the Silk Road
10.00-11.00: Lecture on development of books, paper and printing in East Asia (SW)
11.00-13.00: Visit to British Library to view Silk Road manuscripts (MD)
13.00-14.30: Lunch
14.30-16.00: ‘Judging Books by their Covers’, Islamic Book bindings (AO) followed by session in RAS Library
Thursday 11 July: Glass, Ceramics and Metalware
Three lectures telling the stories of particular Silk Road objects.
10.00-11.30: A Roman glass bowl (SW)
11.30-13.00: An Islamic ceramic dish (SW)
13.00-14.30: Lunch
14.30-16.00: A Bactrian ewer (SW)
Closing Discussion