Top RAS Recordings on YouTube

For this week’s blog post, we thought it would be nice to highlight some of our most-watched recordings on YouTube. As you may be aware, recordings of most of our public lectures and events are regularly uploaded to our YouTube channel to ensure that those who weren’t able to join us could catch up with the event, and those who have joined can revisit the content. Below is a roundup of our all-time most viewed recordings, each receiving at least 1.5K views. So, dive in and see what’s resonated most with our audience – enjoy!

Nineveh Excavation film – 25K views
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efNw9Qe1XRE

The most viewed video on our YouTube channel is actually not of an event, but a film attributed to British Assyriologist and archaeologist Reginald Campbell Thompson (1876–1941). It depicts scenes of the city of Mosul in Iraq, as well as excavations of the ancient site of Nineveh in action, with title cards guiding viewers through the footage. The featured image of this post, taken from the film, shows a bridge to Mosul and the busy urban flow of the city. The film has been on our channel for nearly 10 years but interest in it remains strong – a truly timeless favourite for our audience!

Dr Luca Olivieri: Temples of Swat. The Shahi archaeological landscape – 12K views
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLcKpmKUJIo

A lecture given by Dr Luca Olivieri on the excavations of Brahmanical temples in the Swat district in Pakistan. As director of the ISMEO Italian Archaeological Mission in Pakistan, Dr Olivieri has been working in Swat for nearly four decades. In this lecture, the research team shared their latest research findings and offered a detailed overview of the Shahi archaeological landscape.

Uday Kulkarni: The Extraordinary Epoch of Nanasaheb Peshwa – 3.9K views
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xATzUWE2kxQ

This event marked the launch of Uday Kulkarni’s book, which explores the dynamic era of Nana Saheb Peshwa (1720–1761) and the broader Maratha history of the mid-18th century. Widely regarded as one of the most pivotal chapters in modern Indian history, this period saw the Maratha Empire reach its peak under Nana Saheb’s leadership – an age of political influence, cultural richness, and military prowess.

Oliver Watson: Ceramics of Iran – 2.4K views
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iT0wuFpOTTg

Another book launch event celebrating the official release of Oliver Watson’s publication on ceramics of Iran in 2020. The book is packed with newly commissioned photographs of nearly 250 objects and includes numerous translations of their inscriptions – making it both an informative catalogue and a beautiful visual homage to Iran’s enduring ceramic tradition. A must-watch for anyone interested in Islamic art and material culture!

Aap Beeti: The Autobiography of Mohinder Singh Randhawa – 2.4K views
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BX1p-0_xNYg

A conversation between Tript Kaur, our President Dr Norbert Peabody and our member Mrinalini Venkateswaran on Tript Kaur’s translation of Aap Beeti, the autobiography of Mohinder Singh Randhawa (1909–85), a member of the Indian Civil Service. The autobiography was originally published in Punjabi in 1985. This English translation of the book was supported by the Society’s Oriental Translation Fund and is available to read on our website here.

Professor Roger D. Long: Liaquat Ali Khan: Politics and the Creation of Pakistan, 1895-1947 – 1.8K views
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KybNwApKzlk

This lecture delved into the life of Liaquat Ali Khan (1895–1951), the first Prime Minister of Pakistan and a pivotal figure in the creation of the country, in the years before 1947. Professor Long from Eastern Michigan University, USA took a deep dive into Liaquat Ali Khan’s background and career, his education at Aligarh and Oxford, as well as his devotion to the ideals of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, Iqbal and Jinnah.

Professor Dame Jessica Rawson: Gold, Horses and the Rise of the Silk Roads – 1.6K views
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnUf0IyJeHE

This lecture, delivered by sinologist Professor Dame Jessica Rawson, looked at how the geography of Central Asia had a particular impact on the development of the Silk Roads. Drawing on key artefacts – from weapons and gold belts to horse saddles – unearthed from ancient tombs and archaeological sites, Professor Rawson traced the emergence and evolution of these historic trade routes.

Marc Baer: The Ottomans: Khans, Caesars and Caliphs – 1.5K views
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEQ4dKtzZEg

For this event, author Marc Baer was joined by historian Philip Mansel to discuss the Ottomans’ remarkable rise from a frontier principality to a world empire. This conversation drew from Marc Baer’s publication in 2021, a compelling and highly readable account of the complex history of the Ottoman Empire.

James Liu