SOAS
London School of Oriental and African Studies
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H OXG
Tel: +44(0)20 7637 2388
Picnic author Corinne Souza studied (and picnicked!)at SOAS as an undergraduate in the 1970s. ‘I loved the place,’ she recalls. ‘It was full of lippy or exceptionally courteous old soldiers standing in reception, with equally lippy or courteous students and tutors from all over the world hovering around in the hope they would look after their coats, books or whatever. Many of the staff professors were favourites: if they inadvertently mislaid an essay they were marking, it usually turned up by sometimes circuitous route, with the elderly men in reception.
‘On one occasion, I asked if Professor Vatikiotis had been round. Assuming me to be chasing an essay and automatically wanting to cover up for him, the old boy responded, “Vatty hasn’t quite finished it, Miss . . “. “But I am not Professor Vatiokis’ student,” I replied. (Vatty’s students were all post-graduates.) ” . . . It is just the waiter where he ate last week asked me to return the papers he was working on . . .”. “Very nice of him, Miss,” came the immediate response. “We will inform Vatty’s publisher the missing chapter stopped off for a kebab.”
SOAS is Europe’s leading centre for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Based next door to historic Bloomsbury, with the British Museum and British Library only minutes away, it houses the best kept secret in London: the treasures of the Foyle Special Collections Gallery, Brunei Gallery and a Japanese-style roof garden. The galleries are dedicated to promoting the cultures of the regions to which SOAS has long been devoted, displaying a beautiful and interesting range of historical and contemporary objects at present known only to a few specialists. Among this wealth of material are illustrated Islamic manuscripts, including a luxurious Mughal copy of a 16th century book of animal fables; Chinese and Japanese paintings and prints; varied ceramic objects from the Middle East and East Asia; decorative Buddhist manuscripts and sculptures from South-East Asia; contemporary African paintings and textiles; and important archaeological collections from East Asia, South Asia and the Middle East. Many of these objects are true treasures whose display is long overdue.
While this Iraqi figurine (right) is not owned or on display at SOAS, its photograph is on this site in memory 
of one of SOAS’ esteemed 1970s governors, the late Dr Edmond Sollberger. In 1968, Dr Sollberger, the then Keeper of Near and Middle Eastern Antiquities at the British Museum, identified it as a fertility goddess. Dating from the Larsa period, it was found by a child at Tell Asmar, Iraq in 1962. The Oriental Institute in Chicago, USA have a similar, albeit ’whole body’ , figurine excavated in 1935 - 36.
And so to SOAS’ final secret: its Japanese-inspired roof garden which was built during the Japan 2001 celebrations and officially opened by the sponsor and honorary fellow of the School, Mr Haruhisa Handa (Toshu Fukami) in November that year. It provides an area away from the bustle of London streets or picnicking young in Russell Square, where visitors can relax, meditate or trace the simple Kanji character engraved on the garden’s granite water basin.
Corinne Souza’s spy thriller Jasmine’s Tortoise, published by Picnic, is set in Baghdad and London. 
Opening times: The garden is open to the public when the Brunei Gallery is open, normally Tuesday to Saturday 10.30am to 5pm except when exhibitions are being changed or during private functions. Please phone the recorded message service for current details (see above). Admission to the garden is free during public opening times.
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On a sunny day, one of the finest picnic spots in London is on the green near the Houses of Parliament. This is a sort of ‘grassy island’ with traffic on all sides - and traffic fumes as well (!) - where you can chomp on your sandwiches and watch sometimes dramatic political events unfold. Invariably, at times of national or international crisis, you will come across dozens of television crews from all over the world interviewing politicians only feet away from you. (The politicians themselves have a rather less polluted place to eat their sarnies i.e. on the terrace of Parliament overlooking the River Thames . . .) The majesty of the area is captured vividly in Philip Bright and Sarah Ramos’ JIMMY RAT, published by Picnic in October 2009. 
