Images

A c. 1500 CE oil painting of a medieval jester. (The Laughing Fool by Jacob Cornelisz van Oostsanen (?), Davis Museum in Wellesley, Massachusetts, USA)

A medieval chess game, popular across Europe in the Middle Ages, illustration from the Codex Manesse, produced in Zürich, Switzerland, 14th century. University Library of Heidelberg, Germany.

An illustration of medieval falconry, a popular sport across Europe in the Middle Ages. (Codex Manesse, 14th century CE, Zurich, Switzerland)

This marble head of the Roman Emperor Arcadius (reigned 395-408 CE) came from the foundation trench excavation of the Faculty of Letters-Beyazit, Istanbul, in modern-day Turkey. Late 4th century CE. The head was crowned with a double-string...

This is a marble statuette of Orpheus, who was a legendary musician, poet, and prophet in the ancient Greek religion and mythology. First half of the 4th century CE. From Beyazit, Istanbul, in modern-day Turkey. (Museum of Archaeology, Istanbul...

The head, hands, and feet of this marble statue are lost. The man was a high official, wearing a typical attire. 5th century CE. From Laleli, Istanbul, in modern-day Turkey. (Museum of Archaeology, Istanbul, Turley).

This marble bust, which was produced in an atelier at Byzantium, might have been part of a collection of works of art decorating the palace which was built over the Rotunda. Late 2nd century to early 3rd century CE. From the vicinity of Bodrum...

This Byzantine marble baluster dates back to the 6th century CE and was found in the neighborhood of Bakırköy, Istanbul, in modern-day Turkey. (Museum of Archaeology, Istanbul, Turley).

This is a basket-shaped marble capital bearing monograms of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I (reigned 527-565 CE) and Empress Theodora (tenure, 527-548 CE). 6th century CE. From Bakırköy, Istanbul, in modern-day Turkey. (Museum of Archaeology...

This is a marble impost capital (or impost block). The short sides of this capital bear images of Empress Ariadne (borne 450, died 515 CE) and her Husband, the Byzantine Emperor, Anastasius I (reigned 491-518 CE). 5th to 6th century CE. From...