‘When you go to a museum … take one object and go into it in-depth, then you learn a lot about the people that made it, why they made it, the world it was for, and what it is to be a person needing objects and making objects. You learn a lot about us almost in the object’ – Neil MacGregor, former director of the British Museum, on the publication of A History of the World in 100 Objects.
When it aired on Radio 4, A History of the World in 100 Objects drew the attention of millions of listeners and Neil MacGregor’s accompanying book became a major bestseller. By largely setting aside famous battles and well-known figures in favour of objects such as an Olduvai handaxe, an Olmec stone mask, a Hebrew astrolabe and a chronometer from HMS Beagle the series offered a different way of thinking about the past – focusing on the craftsmanship of each artefact but also building a picture of the people and society in which it was created and, from there, a broad narrative of human civilization. As MacGregor made clear in his introduction though, even such an ambitious project is only ‘a’ history and among our shelves are several titles that explore the subject from within some unusual parameters. We’re taking a closer look at five of them here, with some further examples on our History by Numbers page.
A History of the World Through Body Parts by Kathryn and Ross Petras
Despite the condition of our bodies playing a vital role in dictating our lives, it is a topic generally overlooked in history. Taking steps to address that, Kathryn and Ross Petras explore the role of physical attributes in shaping the lives of prominent people, among them Harriet Tubman, who became instrumental in conducting the Underground Railroad. As a teenager her skull was fractured by an overseer, inflicting a brain injury that meant she saw bright lights and auras and heard disembodied voices that she attributed to God; after escaping slavery Harriet spent eight years rescuing others, never losing a ‘passenger’ and crediting her success to the dreams and visions that told her which routes to follow.
The History of the World in 100 Animals by Simon Barnes
Alongside the obvious candidates chosen by Simon Barnes in his roundup of creatures that have most impacted humanity – cattle, honeybees, dogs – are some more unexpected entrants, including the pink pigeon. Found only on Mauritius, the species almost went extinct in 1990 when a combination of hunting, habitat loss, and disease and predation from animals introduced to the island by humans led to its numbers dropping to just nine birds. Conservation efforts have seen the population recover but the story highlights the extent to which many species depend on human goodwill for survival and how our attitude towards biodiversity has changed.
Love: A Curious History in 50 Objects by Edward Brooke-Hitching
When French writer Madeleine de Scudéry wrote her romance novel Clélie in 1654 she imagined the various stages of love as a geography to be navigated, going so far as to design a map for The Land of Tenderness to accompany her book. By following a path that begins with New Friendship and follows closely the River of Inclination, lovers can ensure they reach Tenderness rather than Indifference or even Enmity. Such maps became something of a game in genteel society at the time and the allegory endured, with Jo Lowry’s 1960 geographical guides to both a man’s heart and a woman’s featuring among the artefacts in former QI presenter Edward Brooke-Hitching’s history of love.
Antarctica: A History in 100 Objects by Jean de Pomereu and Daniella McCahey
While devoid of a permanent human population Antarctica has nonetheless provided a backdrop to some of the most dramatic stories of endurance and tragedy and pushed science into new realms – exploring the region is entirely dependent upon technology, whether the Primus stove, first developed in the 1890s, or modern ‘D-Air Lab’ suits with silver threads on a layer worn next to the skin and an outer shell that is impermeable to wind and snow. The continent’s ongoing role in human endeavours can be seen in its hydroponic plant production facilities, which provide scientists with fresh salad and respite from the outdoor environment as well as an opportunity to understand how food might be grown in space.
The Meaning of Beer: An Alternative History of the World by Jonny Garrett
As he started to think about the people involved in the production of beer, Jonny Garrett was drawn into the worlds of anthropology, archaeology and history and began to piece together a sense of how the drink has been central to human life for millennia. His explanation of ‘how beer made us’ begins in Raqefet Cave near Nazareth where evidence suggests the Natufians were brewing beer some 13,000 years ago. Traces of enzymes found there, as well as flower-lined graves and animal bones, imply that grains were being malted, mashed and fermented, and that the resulting beer had a connection to spiritual or religious beliefs.
