The Oriental Museum is the only one of its kind in the UK. The museum is located in the grounds of Van Mildert College and covers the civilisations of Asia, the Near East and Islamic North Africa.
The museum building is built on terraces, each level devoted to a different culture. A balcony runs around the top floor, and three smaller rooms lead off to the right of the gift shop at the entrance. The first room is crammed with exhibits on Ancient Egyptians, brought back to Britain by the sixth Duke of Northumberland. The prize exhibits are an obelisk from Oswan, whose counterpart can be found in Cairo Museum, and a five-inch high boxwood sculpture of a servant girl carrying a pot, the detail of which is nothing less than remarkable.
Next-door, The Story of Writing starts with Chinese seals made of bamboo, soapstone, serpentine and igneous rock. Look out for the 18th century Qur'an written on octagonal slips of 2 x 2 inch paper. The tiny manuscript was fitted into the base of a warrior’s weapon and carried into battle.
Out on to the balcony, the Marvels of China are divided into Contemporary Society and Ancient Civilisation, Imperial Decorative Arts, The Emperor and his Court and Exploring the Silk Route.The most famous exhibit is the wood and ivory bed, almost like a room at over two metres across and three metres high, comprised of three walls, a floorboards, a ceiling and a chair between the entrance and the bed itself. The whole structure is joined without using nails or screws meaning it can be dismantled easily.
The terraces below are reached by lift or a series of small staircases. On the highest level, The Islamic World is full of wonderful Persian jugs and bowls dating back to the 13th century,and a wonderful 12th century Sphinx from Syria. The section on Buddhism and Hinduism is even more impressive, with Hindu scriptures, a bronze temple lamp, 17th century bronze Tibetan deity figures and 18th century Burmese panels depicting scenes from thh Ramayana, an epic Sanskrit poem.
Downstairs, Japanese Culture encompasses screens, an 18th century porcelain temple jar, a 14th century cast bronze head of the Buddha, ivory figures, wood-block prints, and 19th century Edo period swords.
The lowest terrace is given over to a wonderful collection of Chinese porcelain. Ming Dynasty blue-and-white pottery blends into Fujian province dishes of turquoise, black and red enamels. In the left hand corner there is also a small display of Korean Goryeo Dynasty green celadon.