Images

As a result of erosion and mining, one of the oldest and most sophistcated art-producing cultures known in sub-Saharan Africa came to light in the mid-20th century. Hundreds of hollow figures, heads, and fragments made of coarse clay have...

This terracotta vase dates from the Predynastic period in ancient Egyptian history, c. 4500-3100 BCE. (Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts at Stanford University, Stanford, California)

Terracotta vessel from the Predynastic Period in Egypt, c. 4500-3100 BCE. From the late Predynastic Period onward, the Egyptians used painted, incised, and polished pottery in life and as burial accessories for both the rich and the poor...

This terracotta vase dates from the Predynastic period in ancient Egyptian history, c. 4500-3100 BCE. (Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts at Stanford University, Stanford, California)

This jar comes from China and dates from the Sui dynasty (581-618 CE). It is made of stoneware with green glaze. (Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts at Stanford University, Stanford, California)

Vishnu with Lakshmi and Saravati, phyllite sculpture from West Bengal, India, 12th century. The Hindu god Vishnu, the preserver of the universe, is flanked by two female figures. His sister Sarasvati, the patron goddess of knowledge and...

This head belongs to a jina ("conqueror" or "liberator"), a Jain saint who severed the chain of rebirth and achieved a state of omniscience known as nirvana. Jains believe that there have been 24 jinas, each of whom is known as a tirthankara...

This sculpture represents the Buddha on the verge of enlightenment responding to the challenge of the demon Mara. Mara, who profits from chaos and suffering in the world, questioned the Buddha's right to become enlightened. Disturbed from...

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...

A 7th century CE mosaic depicting the Byzantine emperor Constantine IV (r. 668-685 CE) and entourage in the basilica of Sant'Apollinare, in Classe, Ravenna, Italy.