(28 Nov 2024) An exhibition with the title “A Silk Road Oasis: Life in Ancient Dunhuang” is currently on display at the British Library, London, until 23 February 2025. The oasis of Dunhuang, in today’s northwest China, was established in 111 BCE as a military outpost. It became a vital resting point for travellers due to its strategic position on the overland trade routes known as the Silk Roads, and as a result it has always been home to a vibrant mix of people and languages, and a melting-pot of cultures and ideas. By the 4th century CE, the region was a thriving place of Buddhist worship. The nearby Mogao Caves remain one of the world’s most significant sites of Buddhist art. Many of the items in this exhibition are from the Mogao ‘Library Cave’ (Cave 17), while others were found in the defensive structures north of the town. They illuminate aspects of civic, religious and artistic life at Dunhuang in the first millennium, giving the visitor unique insights into this diverse community.
Jana Igunma, curator at the British Library shares her reflections on the exhibition here.
