The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s engaging “Recasting the Past” exhibition looks at the antiquarian spirit in China since the 12th century.

It tells us a lot about life, politics and religion under the Shang dynasty. This is an axe made from bronze. It would have had a wooden handle and been used by the Shang warriors to fight enemies.

Narrator: Life was really different in the Shang dynasty to life today ... bowls and weapons from bronze. This needed a lot of people to do the work, and managers to watch over the craftsmen.