Entire world history in just 100 British Museum treasures

A statue of an Egyptian pharaoh, shadow puppets from Indonesia and the Sutton Hoo helmet are among the 100 objects chosen to tell the history of the world, the British Museum revealed today.

All have been selected by Neil MacGregor, its director, and a team of curators in a three-year trawl of its collections for a Radio 4 series which starts in January.

The aim is to escape traditional euro-centric views of history to present the broadest possible geographical spread.

The series, A History of the World in 100 Objects, will start with the oldest object in the museum, a handaxe from the Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania dating from 1.2-1.4million years ago.

But the 100th object will be a new acquisition reflecting an issue of contemporary concern.

A History of the World in 100 Objects stars on 18 January. www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld

Collection highlights

Lewis Chessmen, 1150-1200 AD, Isle of Lewis, Scotland. These enigmatic figures tell us a long and complex story about how chess conquered the world. The presence of both the Queen and the Bishop in the chess set provide obvious clues about medieval European society.

Gold coin of Croesus, c. 550 BC, Modern Turkey. It's hard to imagine how cities and empires could be run without money. Yet the world's first coins are comparatively recent innovations.

Throne of Weapons, 2001 AD, Maputo, Mozambique. A chair made of decommissioned guns encapsulates the post-war history of the African continent.

Statue of Ramesses II, c. 1250 BC, Egypt. Classic image of an Egyptian Pharaoh, not pictured, is a masterclass in how to present the image of a political leader.