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Orientations | Volume 55 Number 5 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024 3 Miraculous Image of Liangzhou Found at Cave 17, Mogao Caves, Dunhuang China; Tang dynasty (618–907), c. 8th century Silk thread on silk with hemp backing; 241 × 159 cm British Museum (MAS,0.1129), Stein Collection Photo © The Trustees of the British Museum The journey will span five overlapping geographical zones: (1) three capitals in East Asia, namely Nara (Heijō-kyō), Japan; Gyeongju (Geumseong), Korea; and Xi’an (Chang’an), China; (2) Southeast Asia to the desert oases of northwest China; (3) Central Asia to Arabia under Islam; (4) the Mediterranean basin; and (5) the Carolingian empire in Europe and across to Britain. To emphasize the interconnectedness of these geographical zones, they will be linked together by six focused case studies that highlight peoples who bridged cultures or sites noted for their cultural interactions: seafarers in the Indian Ocean, Sogdians of Samarkand, Buddhist believers of Tokharistan (formerly Bactria), Vikings on the ‘Eastern Way’, Aksumites in northeast Africa, and peoples of al-Andalus in present-day Spain. In the first geographic zone, interregional connections between Nara Japan and Tang China are exemplified by a bronze epitaph discovered in the foothills of Mount Ikoma in the Nara prefecture (fig. 2). Written in Chinese and in the format of Chinese classics, it records the life of Mino no Okamaro (661–728), an envoy to Tang China who embarked on the perilous sea journey in 701. It was one of several diplomatic missions that the Japanese court sent to the Tang dynasty between 630 and 894. Treasures from Korea reveal the Silla kingdom’s appreciation of luxury imports from distant lands. One example is a blue glass cup with a honeycomb pattern of the late Roman type excavated from the Cheonmachong tomb, Gyeongju, dated to the early 500s. The high concentration of imported glass found in elite tombs of the Silla kingdom’s capital is discussed in an article by Yoon Sangdeok in this special issue. Tang dynasty Chang’an, the largest city in the world at its height, will be introduced through objects from the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum collection. The Tang court sought fine horses from the steppes to its north and Central Asia to its west, as reflected in the many muscular and naturalistic ceramic horses excavated from tombs. Foreign fashions were adopted and adapted, such as drinking vessels that imitated wares from as far away as the Mediterranean. The techniques for making Tang silver vessels are discussed in an article by Alessandro Armigliato. The scale and extent of maritime connections during this period is highlighted in the first case study of the exhibition, which presents a selection of remarkable objects from the Belitung (aka Tang) shipwreck discovered off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, in 1998. The ship carried a cargo of over 60,000 objects, the majority of which were Tang ceramics most likely intended for ports in West Asia, such as Basra under the Abbasid Caliphate (750–1258). A rare ceramic dish with a cobalt blue pattern is one of three that survive from the shipwreck (fig. 4). Continuing from the Srivijaya empire (600s–1100s) in Southeast Asia, the exhibition explores the 20
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4 Dish Gongxian kilns, Henan province, China; Tang dynasty (618–907) c. 830s Stoneware with cobalt-blue decoration; height 4.4 cm, diameter 22.8 cm Asian Civilisations Museum, Tang Shipwreck Collection Photo © Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore spread of Buddhism across the Indian subcontinent and the Himalayas to the Tibetan empire (also known as Tubo; c. 600–866). From there the journey reaches Dunhuang in northwest China. Key objects from Cave 17 in the British Museum and British Library will be featured. One of the highlights will be the monumental embroidery Miraculous Image of Liangzhou, which depicts a standing Buddha emerging from a rocky landscape, flanked by bodhisattvas and disciples (fig. 3). This embroidery, the largest from Dunhuang, goes on display at the British Museum for the first time since its conservation treatment and scientific analysis in 5 Fragment of a wall painting of two Manichaean electi First Turpan Expedition (1902–03) China, Kocho (Gaochang), Ruin Alpha; 9th–10th century Mineral pigments on plaster; 25.5 × 39 cm × 3.5 cm Museum für Asiatische Kunst, Berlin Image © Museum für Asiatische Kunst, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin Photo: Jürgen Liepe 21

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Orientations | Volume 55 Number 5 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

3 Miraculous Image of Liangzhou Found at Cave 17, Mogao Caves, Dunhuang China; Tang dynasty (618–907), c. 8th century Silk thread on silk with hemp backing; 241 × 159 cm British Museum (MAS,0.1129), Stein Collection Photo © The Trustees of the British Museum

The journey will span five overlapping geographical zones: (1) three capitals in East Asia, namely Nara (Heijō-kyō), Japan; Gyeongju (Geumseong), Korea; and Xi’an (Chang’an), China; (2) Southeast Asia to the desert oases of northwest China; (3) Central Asia to Arabia under Islam; (4) the Mediterranean basin; and (5) the Carolingian empire in Europe and across to Britain. To emphasize the interconnectedness of these geographical zones, they will be linked together by six focused case studies that highlight peoples who bridged cultures or sites noted for their cultural interactions: seafarers in the Indian Ocean, Sogdians of Samarkand, Buddhist believers of Tokharistan (formerly Bactria), Vikings on the ‘Eastern Way’, Aksumites in northeast Africa, and peoples of al-Andalus in present-day Spain.

In the first geographic zone, interregional connections between Nara Japan and Tang China are exemplified by a bronze epitaph discovered in the foothills of Mount Ikoma in the Nara prefecture (fig. 2). Written in Chinese and in the format of Chinese classics, it records the life of Mino no Okamaro (661–728), an envoy to Tang China who embarked on the perilous sea journey in 701. It was one of several diplomatic missions that the Japanese court sent to the Tang dynasty between 630 and 894.

Treasures from Korea reveal the Silla kingdom’s appreciation of luxury imports from distant lands. One example is a blue glass cup with a honeycomb pattern of the late Roman type excavated from the Cheonmachong tomb, Gyeongju, dated to the early 500s. The high concentration of imported glass found in elite tombs of the Silla kingdom’s capital is discussed in an article by Yoon Sangdeok in this special issue.

Tang dynasty Chang’an, the largest city in the world at its height, will be introduced through objects from the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum collection. The Tang court sought fine horses from the steppes to its north and Central Asia to its west, as reflected in the many muscular and naturalistic ceramic horses excavated from tombs. Foreign fashions were adopted and adapted, such as drinking vessels that imitated wares from as far away as the Mediterranean. The techniques for making Tang silver vessels are discussed in an article by Alessandro Armigliato.

The scale and extent of maritime connections during this period is highlighted in the first case study of the exhibition, which presents a selection of remarkable objects from the Belitung (aka Tang) shipwreck discovered off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, in 1998. The ship carried a cargo of over 60,000 objects, the majority of which were Tang ceramics most likely intended for ports in West Asia, such as Basra under the Abbasid Caliphate (750–1258). A rare ceramic dish with a cobalt blue pattern is one of three that survive from the shipwreck (fig. 4).

Continuing from the Srivijaya empire (600s–1100s) in Southeast Asia, the exhibition explores the

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