Silk Road leads from Uzbekistan to London for landmark exhibition

A monumental six-metre-long wall painting created in the 7th century, and 8th-century ivory figures carved for one of the world's oldest surviving chess sets, are among treasures set to be seen in Britain for the first time. The items will travel from the ancient city of Samarkand to the UK for an exhibition opening in September, as part of the first-ever loan from museums in Uzbekistan to the British Museum. Silk Roads, a groundbreaking exhibition spanning AD500 to 1000, will go beyond the popular image of trade between east and west, with camel caravans and merchants selling silks and spices…