Tracing the influences of cultures

Another object of interest is a lamp component, on which the bottom depicts Buddha heads. It was traced to the second and third centuries during the Kushan Empire (1st — 3rd centuries), reflecting the spread of Buddhism in the multicultural territory.

Safo says the objects show that the Silk Road was "not only a network of routes for trading, but it also connected people via culture, arts and religions" — that is, "a diversity of cultures on one major road".

Eldar Ianibekov, deputy director of the State Historical Museum located in Moscow's Red Square, says that as one of the largest museums in Russia, it is exhibiting a selection of treasures at the Beijing museum from a collection of over 5 million objects that represent the unique features of Russian culture.

He says the artifacts on display "span from the seventh century BC to the 19th century, parts of which focus on nomadic tribes and others that unveil the glorious royal court life and timeless aesthetics".