The British Museum is going to display the world’s oldest map of the stars

The world’s oldest ‘map of stars’ is set to go on display in the UK for the first time next year, as part of an exhibition exploring the story of Stonehenge. 

The Nebra Sky Disc will be exhibited at the British Museum from February 17 as part of ‘The World of Stonehenge’. The 30cm-diameter bronze disc is 3,600 years old and was discovered in 1999 in Nebra, Germany by illegal treasure hunters, who also unearthed swords, axes and other Bronze Age items alongside it. 

After it was dug up by the hunters, police recovered the disc in a sting. Currently on display at Germany’s State Museum of Prehistory in Halle, and the loan to the British Museum will mark the first time it has been lent out internationally for 15 years.

The disc has a blue-green patina, decorated with gold symbols that are thought to represent the sun, moon, stars, solstices and constellation of the Pleiades. It’s said to be the oldest surviving representation of the cosmos in the world. 

Although it is included on a global list of important historic documents by Unesco, some have suggested the Nebra Sky Disc is a fake. Last year, two archaeologists also published a paper claiming it is, in fact, only 2,600 years old and dates from the Iron Age. The State Museum of Prehistory swiftly dismissed those assertions, though, calling them inconsistent and ‘not comprehensible’. 

‘The World of Stonehenge’ exhibition will feature hundreds of objects from across Britain and Europe, each telling part of the story behind the mysterious British landmark. Another highlight will be an extremely rare 3,000-year-old sun pendant, which the British Museum says is ‘the most significant piece of Bronze Age gold ever found in Britain’. 

‘The Nebra Sky Disc and the sun pendant are two of the most remarkable surviving objects from Bronze Age Europe,’ Neil Wilkin, curator of ‘The World of Stonehenge’, said. ‘Both have only recently been unearthed, literally, after remaining hidden in the ground for over three millennia. 

‘We’re delighted that they will both be key pieces in our once-in-a-lifetime Stonehenge exhibition at the British Museum. While both were found hundreds of miles from Stonehenge, we’ll be using them to shine a light on the vast interconnected world that existed around the ancient monument, spanning Britain, Ireland and mainland Europe.’ 

‘The World of Stonehenge’ will run Feb 17-Jul 17 2022. Tickets go on sale in early December. 

The 17 autumn art exhibitions in London we can’t wait to see.

Six essential day trips to Stonehenge from London.