British Museum Department of Asia

Objects in the South Asian collections of the Department date from some of the earliest civilisations in the Indus valley, about 7000 years ago.

South Asia is also represented in the money collections, with a large number of coins dating back to the 4th century BC.

The John Addis gallery (room 34) houses the museum's collection of Islamic art, which now officially forms part of the Department of Middle East.

At the end of the gallery are cases on Islamic Spain, science, arms and armour, coinage and a changing exhibition of contemporary graphics.

The British Museum is actively collecting 20th-century material from the Islamic world, including calligraphy, popular religious prints, political posters, studio pottery and a rare 11th-century Qur'an.

Objects from pre-history to the present day include stone sculpture, paintings, printed books, screens and folk art, as well as ceramics, lacquerware, gold and bronze.