Images

This painted fragment from ancient Egypt depicts a woman from the city of Thebes. It was likely painted on stone c. 1300 BCE. (Musée du Cinquantenaire, Brussels)

This relief made around c. 1250 BCE depicts what a male dignitary or government official from the ancient Egyptian city of Memphis would look like during the New Kingdom Period (c. 1550-1077 BCE). This stone relief was likely made in either...

On this stone stele made around c. 1150 BCE, one can see Ramesses III (r. 1186–1155 BCE) making an offering the god Amun. Ramesses III is considered by many historians and archaeologists to be the last great ruler of Egypt from the New Kingdom...

This necklace made from amber was found in a Merovingian tomb located in Sint-Gillis-bij-Dendermonde, Belgium. It dates from the second half of the 5th century to the early 6th century CE. (Musée du Cinquantenaire, Brussels)

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...

This relief from Persepolis, Iran shows a Median man climbing a staircase. Experts are quite sure what he's holding in his hands, but it might a stone or a shield. This relief is made from gray limestone and dates from the 5th-4th century...

This fragment made from basalt was unearthed at the important archaeological site of Gozan (Tell Halaf), which is located in northern Syria. It dates from the 10th-9th century BCE. (Musée du Cinquantenaire, Brussels)

This Aztec conch shell trumpet or "Tecciztli" dates from the Post-Classic era in Aztec history (1325-1521 CE). It was used in rituals, festivals, and religious processions. (Musée du Cinquantenaire, Brussels)

This painted incense container is made from cut stone and dates from c. 600-900 CE. Maya artisans created it in what is present-day Guatemala during the Classical era. (Musée du Cinquantenaire, Brussels)

This statue was made from cut stone during the Classical era in Mayan history (250-900 CE). It depicts either a Mayan god or goddess or perhaps even a priest. It was made in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico. (Musée du Cinquantenaire, Brussels...