Curator's introduction to Luxury and power: Persia to Greece

Join exhibition curator Jamie Fraser and Keeper of the Department of the Middle East Paul Collins (Chair) as they discuss the context, scope, themes and highlights of this phenomenal exhibition.
Through dazzling objects from countries from Afghanistan to Greece, they explore a complex story about luxury as a political tool in the Middle East and southeast Europe from 550-30 BC. The royal Achaemenid court of Persia used precious objects in gold, silver and glass as markers of authority, defining a style of luxury that resonated across the empire from Egypt to India. Alexander the Great swept aside the Persian empire to usher in a new Hellenistic age, in which eastern and western styles of luxury were fused as part of an increasingly interconnected world.
More information about the exhibition can be found here:
www.britishmuseum.org/exhibit...
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Image credit: Millefiori glass dish, glass and gold, Canosa di Puglia, Italy, about 225-200 BC. © The Trustees of the British Museum

[@vincep1c156]

Had to watch twice, the explanation here is nothing short of incredible. I mean the Dr. Finkel cameo alone is worth it. Bravo

[@TheBibleWithTina]

Thank you. I will be visiting on Saturday, 29th. Can't wait.

[@drwsterling]

As usual the curator adds more detail and background to the exhibition. I like the extraction of purple dye video. I am looking forward to going to the exhibition.

[@johanneswerner1140]

And what they were missing was that one could just annoy the snail, it would spit out the slime ball, which you can then collect (my biologist friends tell me). There are apparently old travel reports of beaches full of discarded snail shells...

[@iaindeboys8615]

I watched this after going to the Exhibition and I enjoyed both very much.

[@sillybeeful]

Brilliant

[@twonumber22]

Good show.

[@froillainart]

Oh toll. Ich muss nach London 💙 thank you

[@mariellouise1]

Wish I was going to be there! Great lecture with new information for me. When in both cultures, did women begin to be relegated to a status below men?

[@cynthiasierra3353]

Wow James, just loved the way of you elevated the physical story of archeological objects to the cultural and in effect “power” implications of two very different ways of seeing the world bumping up against each other. You are a master storyteller and I so very much enjoyed your interpretation and explanation, I had to watch it more than once. I lament not being able to see this amazing exhibit I. Person but hope that you’ll have more in the future. Thank you!!!

[@ronwalker4849]

THE EXHIBITION OF THE THRACIAN RHYTONS IS FABULOUS. WHAT STYLE! WERE THEY MADE BY THE LOST WAX PROCESS?

[@zameendarabhinay1506]

Where was the music played in the beginning few seconds of the video taken from?

[@k2t3a]

Hi! Very interesting. On KZbin and other social media platforms these two opposing attitudes towards displays of wealth are called Flex Culture and Minimalism Aesthetic. :)

[@pninarubinstein]

👏👏👏

[@miastupid7911]

These shells are also found in parts of Greece.

[@slee3155]

17:30 thought Irving Finkel might photo bomb right at that moment

[@katrussell6819]

Wish we could see this. Too far away.

[@HebaruSan]

I feel like my arm would get tired having to hold up a bottle of wine the whole time I'm drinking it. Why not have a servant do that?

[@jamestalbert3951]

Luxury begins where necessity ends.

[@dadbidad1322]

I don’t know what the old Persians looked like, but this statue looks suspiciously like the statues in what was Babylon, or Assyria, specially the representation of beard and hair.

[@CyrusPersia-wv7zo]

True, the architecture of the Achaemenid Persians was a combination of Babylonian, Assyrian and Median architecture which evolved over time, just like Roman architecture, which was inspired by greeks but also evolved

[@arturomorales966]

The British may be the present empire of oppression and mad hegemons in today's world, but at least they keep up with their predecessors' customs of uplifting high culture.

[@ronwalker4849]

ALL GREAT SOCIETIES HAVE HIGHLY LUXURY ARTISTIC PRODUCTION BUT THIS DOES NOT IMPLY A FEMENISATION OF THE EPOCH. LOOK AT THE EXUBERANT OF FRENCH KING LOUIS XIV. NOTHING FEMENINE ABOUT ALL THREE LOUIS.

[@sarafouladvand1940]

No sir, you can't find persian books because of Islamic invasion and burning most of the books. I am sure you are aware of this atrocity but you choose not to mention it.

[@miastupid7911]

There was no Turkey. You should be historically correct or else it is doubtful what you say about the rest. And you repeat it more than once and this is intentional.

[@pinchevulpes]

Your nationalism has no place here, places and dates are given for simple context, you big baby

[@pninarubinstein]

👏👏👏