Pilgrimage: Physical and Spiritual Journeys
To mark Easter and also as a taster for our forthcoming pilgrimage story and new online exhibits, Professor Catherine Cubitt gives a brief introduction to early Christian pilgrims from Britain and the many perils of their journeys.
Meeting between Asia and Europe: The Nara to Norwich Workshop in Istanbul
A reflection on the workshop hosted by colleagues in the Department of History and Asian Studies Centre, Boğaziçi University in Istanbul, in collaboration with SISJAC and funded by Toshiba International Foundation in spring 2023.
Lunar New Year: Down a Rabbit (Hare?) Hole
Each new year is associated with an animal in a 12-year cycle which is found across the eastern Silk Roads and 2023 is the year of the hare or rabbit. This recalls a design which is found across the Silk Roads in Buddhist, Christian and Islamic contexts, the so-called ‘Three Hares’.
On Buddhist stupas and visual abundance
Despite the great variation in Buddhist art and architecture across the centuries throughout Eurasia, many sites still to this day embrace an aesthetic based on rich décor, bright colours, and elaborate patterns.
Christmas at Archaeological Sites
Before the arrival of Christianity, with its assimilation of previous beliefs and festivals, the period we now call Christmas, around the mid-winter solstice, was also an important annual event for people of many cultures and times. We can see from archaeology how deep this marking of the close of one year and beginning of the next goes back into the past.
A visit to Asuka
Nestling in the foothills at the southern end of the Nara basin in Japan is the village of Asuka. This region, full of ancient tombs and temples, is the focus of the Japan chapter of our Nara to Norwich story.
A Royal Hall of the East Anglian Kings at Rendlesham
August and September 2022 saw the second season of archaeological excavation on the site of the East Anglian royal settlement at Rendlesham in Suffolk. In this blog post, Professor Christopher Scull talks about the Rendlesham Revealed project.
The Atlas of Maritime Buddhism Project
During the first nine months, even during COVID restrictions on group events, the exhibition entitled: “The Buddhist Maritime Silk Road” has attracted 600,000 in-person visitors.
The cross – its development as a symbol in early medieval northwest Europe
The cross is the pre-eminent Christian symbol, depicting the execution of Christ in a brutal method reserved by the Roman State as a deterrent for offensive crimes.
From Norwich to Sweden
In June 2022, the Nara to Norwich team travelled to Sweden to view some of the archaeological sites and items explored in the exhibition.