Table
- Gallery: Room 33
- Date: 1stC-4thC
- Object type: table, religious/ritual equipment, 桌
- Materials: wood; 木 (Chinese)
- Museum number: 1907,1111.85
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
Before you is an altar table crafted from poplar wood, dating to the first to fourth century. Its four legs are linked by carved wooden panels, now somewhat fragmented. The upper parts of the legs and side panels are adorned with square or rectangular frames containing floral designs, edged with beaded bands.
The front panel stands out as the most intriguing—its center features a stupa, or small Buddhist shrine, surrounded by streamers and flanked by flowers. This suggests a strong connection to Buddhist culture and ritual.
This piece comes from Niya in what is now China—described in early excavations by Aurel Stein, who noted how similar designs appeared elsewhere in the region. The carving techniques and layout give us insight into how rooms might have been decorated in ancient times.
Carefully carved and preserved, it offers a rare glimpse into the artistic and religious life of the past.
See it in person
Table is on display in Room 33 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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