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Chinese Army on the March
Artist's impression of the Chinese army marching into battle.

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Oracle Bones
Oracle Bones (also known as Dragon's Bones) were the shoulder blades of oxen or plastrons of turtles (the flat underside of the turtle's shell) which were used in the Shang Dynasty of China (c. 1600-1046 BCE) for divination. The symbols carved...

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Trialeti Culture Necklace
This golden necklace was made by people who belonged to the ancient Trialeti culture. They flourished during the late-3rd and early-2nd millennium BCE. Many exquisite items crafted in gold and silver by the Trialeti culture have been found...

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Khitan
The Khitan people formed the Liao dynasty and ruled parts of Mongolia, Manchuria, and northern China from 907 to 1125 CE. Adopting elements of Chinese government and culture, the Khitan were more than a match for their rivals the Song dynasty...

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Veracruz Culture Statue of Cihuacoatl
Although Cihuacoatl was later known in Aztec mythology as the "snake woman," she was also a fertility goddess and a goddess of motherhood. This statue comes from the Veracruz culture, which lived along the Gulf Coast in what is present-day...

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Vessel from Ninevite V Culture
This pottery vessel was found at Nineveh, Iraq. The surface is decorated with different geometric motifs and shapes. Ninevite V period/culture of Upper Mesopotamia, c. 2900-2600 BCE. On display at the Iraq Museum in Baghdad.

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Pottery Vessel from Ninevite V Culture
This peculiar pottery vessel was found at Nineveh, Iraq. The surface is painted with different geometric shapes. Ninevite V period/culture of Upper Mesopotamia, c. 2900-2600 BCE. On display at the Iraq Museum in Baghdad.

Definition
Yin and Yang
The principle of Yin and Yang from Chinese philosophy is that all things exist as inseparable and contradictory opposites. Examples of Yin-Yang opposite forces are female-male, dark-light, and old-young. The pairs of equal opposites both...

Definition
Yongle Emperor
The Yongle Emperor (aka Chengzu or Yung Lo, r. 1403-1424 CE) was the third ruler of the Chinese Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 CE). Inheriting a stable state thanks to the work of his father, the Hongwu Emperor (r. 1368-1398 CE), Yongle made lasting...

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Neolithic Chinese Jar
This jar dates from the 26th century BCE and is made of earthenware with pigments. It was made by the Majiayao Yangshao culture during the Banshan phase (c. 2655-2330 BCE). (Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts at Stanford University...