Welcome to the Exhibition

Journey from Nara to Norwich

The origins of Buddhism and Christianity are found in south and west Asia respectively, but both religions spread in the centuries following the deaths of their founders finding new centres of faith in central Asia and southern Europe under the Kushan (1st–3rd centuries AD), Roman (27 BC–5th century AD) and Han empires (206 BC–AD 220). It was from these regions that the religions were then taken further, to the edges of Asia and Europe—to Nara and Norwich.

Discover how religions adapt

Religions play a central role in the human story. Defining religion, and how it has shaped the evolution of our species, remain among our major intellectual challenges. The online exhibition offers a vision of the role of religion and art at a time of great change on a trans-continental scale, shaped by the collapse of the Roman, Kushan and Han empires. The exhibition makes the global accessible through personalised accounts and specific discoveries through stories and an exhibit database.

Explore Arts and Beliefs at the Ends of the Silk Roads

The Nara to Norwich website will continue to be updated until 2024 when a physical exhibition will be held in Norwich.

Recently Released


IASSRT Papers: Nahal Omer Middens as indicator for Networks of Trade along the Silk Road on the Edges of Europe: The Textile Evidence

Following the IASSRT symposium, we are publishing a series of posts showcasing the papers most relevant to the Nara to Norwich project. This abstract is by Orit Shamir and her colleagues, on silk fragments from south and east found in the eastern Mediterranean.

Read More IASSRT Papers: Nahal Omer Middens as indicator for Networks of Trade along the Silk Road on the Edges of Europe: The Textile Evidence


Enjoy your visit