Exhibition on art, culture and architecture along the Silk Road
Ornately decorated head pieces and jewellery, images of imposing mosques and photos of local people. The 'Splendours of the Silk Roads' exhibition depicts life and different cultures along this important trade route.
Researcher Elena Paskaleva is the curator of this exhibition on one of the world's most famous trade routes. The Silk Road started as a network of caravan routes that facilitated trade between the oriental world and Europe from as early as classical antiquity. The route was also a means for travellers and local peoples to learn about one another's religions and cultures.
Jewish jewellery
Paskaleva has curated previous exhibitions on the Silk Road. This time, the exhibition includes old photos from Iran, Ikat textiles from Central Asia and, for example, photos and textiles from Kashgar, Xinjiang. ‘But there is also Jewish jewellery because I want to show the diverse religions in the region,' Paskaleva explains. Many of the exhibits are from her private collection.
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Ikat textiles from Central Asia -
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The exhibition is part of the cultural programme of ECIS 10, the Tenth European Conference of Iranian Studies, that is being held at the end of this month in Leiden. The exhibition can be viewed in the central hall of the Oude UB from 14 August, and will remain on display up to and including 29 September.