The archive

Objects

Things people made, that a museum now holds. Each one has its own record: what it is, when and where it was made, where it was found, and every lesson it turns up in. 19 so far, from 3 museums.

The objects in time

3,000 BC2,000 BC1,000 BCAD 1AD 1000AD 2000A clay tablet recording barley, About 3100 to 2900 BCCattle carved for King Khufu, About 2551 to 2528 BC, in the reign of KhufuSeated statue of King Menkaure, About 2490 to 2472 BC, in the reign of MenkaureModel granary with scribes, About 1981 to 1975 BCModel bakery and brewery, About 1981 to 1975 BCModel of a boat being rowed, About 1981 to 1975 BCModel of a porch and garden, About 1981 to 1975 BCAn inscribed oracle bone, Shang dynasty, about 1600 to 1046 BC (the Met gives no closer date)A tall bronze wine beaker, 13th century BCA great bronze wine jar, 13th century BCA small jade water buffalo, 13th to 11th century BCThe Rosetta Stone, 196 BCRegina’s tombstone, 2nd century ADThe Sutton Hoo helmet, Buried about 625The Great Pyramid, photographed in 1849, December 1849The pyramids at Giza, photographed in the 1860s, 1865 to 1869+1Blue faience hippopotamus+2A bronze cauldron on three legs; A lidded bronze wine container

Every object at its date, oldest on the left. The thin strip underneath is all of human time since our species appeared: every object in the archive so far was made in the small slice marked on it. Where many objects share a date, the rest gather into a numbered circle.

The register

19 shown

  1. OC 001A clay tablet recording barleyAbout 3100 to 2900 BCClayThe Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York · The Middle EastLanguage, writing and literature · Economics, trade and money · Farming, food and drink
  2. OC 002Cattle carved for King KhufuAbout 2551 to 2528 BC, in the reign of KhufuLimestoneThe Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York · AfricaArt, architecture and design · Politics, government and law · Farming, food and drink
  3. OC 003Seated statue of King MenkaureAbout 2490 to 2472 BC, in the reign of MenkaureIndurated limestoneThe Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York · AfricaArt, architecture and design · Politics, government and law
  4. OC 004Model granary with scribesAbout 1981 to 1975 BCWood, plaster, paint, linen, grainThe Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York · AfricaFarming, food and drink · Work, industry and business · Language, writing and literature
  5. OC 005Model bakery and breweryAbout 1981 to 1975 BCWood, gesso, paint, linenThe Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York · AfricaFarming, food and drink · Work, industry and business
  6. OC 006Model of a boat being rowedAbout 1981 to 1975 BCWood, paint, gesso, linen twine and linen fabricThe Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York · AfricaTransport, towns and building works · Exploration and migration · Work, industry and business
  7. OC 007Model of a porch and gardenAbout 1981 to 1975 BCWood, paint, copperThe Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York · AfricaSociety, family and daily life · Art, architecture and design · Transport, towns and building works
  8. OC 008Blue faience hippopotamusAbout 1961 to 1878 BCFaienceThe Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York · AfricaArt, architecture and design · Environment, climate and disasters
  9. OC 014An inscribed oracle boneShang dynasty, about 1600 to 1046 BC (the Met gives no closer date)Inscribed boneThe Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York · AsiaLanguage, writing and literature · Religion, belief and myth · Education, knowledge and museums
  10. OC 016A tall bronze wine beaker13th century BCBronze inlaid with black pigmentThe Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York · AsiaReligion, belief and myth · Technology and engineering · Art, architecture and design
  11. OC 018A great bronze wine jar13th century BCBronzeThe Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York · AsiaReligion, belief and myth · Technology and engineering · Art, architecture and design
  12. OC 019A small jade water buffalo13th to 11th century BCJade (nephrite)The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York · AsiaArt, architecture and design · Environment, climate and disasters
  13. OC 015A bronze cauldron on three legs12th to 11th century BCBronzeThe Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York · AsiaReligion, belief and myth · Technology and engineering · Art, architecture and design
  14. OC 017A lidded bronze wine container12th century BCBronzeThe Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York · AsiaReligion, belief and myth · Technology and engineering · Art, architecture and design
  15. OC 009The Rosetta Stone196 BCGranodioriteThe British Museum, London · AfricaLanguage, writing and literature · Education, knowledge and museums · Politics, government and law
  16. OC 010Regina’s tombstone2nd century ADTombstoneArbeia Roman Fort and Museum, South Shields · EuropeSociety, family and daily life · Crime, punishment and slavery · Language, writing and literature
  17. OC 011The Sutton Hoo helmetBuried about 625Iron, rebuilt from more than 100 fragmentsThe British Museum, London · EuropeWar, conflict and security · Art, architecture and design · Religion, belief and myth
  18. OC 012The Great Pyramid, photographed in 1849December 1849Salted paper print from a paper negativeThe Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York · AfricaEducation, knowledge and museums · Art, architecture and design · Communication and media
  19. OC 013The pyramids at Giza, photographed in the 1860s1865 to 1869Albumen silver print from a glass negativeThe Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York · AfricaEducation, knowledge and museums · Art, architecture and design

Numbers starting OC are this site’s own. Each record links to the museum’s own catalogue where there is one. Era of each object: First cities and the Bronze Age, The Iron Age and growing states, The classical world, After the empires, Revolutions and the first factories, Industry, empire and world war.