Images

A miniature Qur'an in vellum binding. Mughal Empire, 18th century. (Victoria and Albert Museum, London)

Most likely from North Africa dating from the late 9th to mid 10th-century, the celebrated Blue Qur'an was a luxurious book with pages dyed in indigo, and Kufic calligraphy in gold foil, and silver bookmarks. Consisting of over 600 large...

An abridged commentary on the Qur’an from Mamluk Egypt, 1478. Museum no. MSL/1869/7219, folio 2a. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Cotton shirt made of three panels with verses from the Quran in ink and gold paint. 15th-16th-century India. (Victoria and Albert Museum, London)

An 11-12th century fresco of Saint Bacchus (d. 4th century). Monastery of Saint Moses the Abyssinian, Mar Musa or Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi, Nabk, Syria.

Cold water pool in the frigidarium (cold room) of the Roman baths at the villa at Milreu, southern Portugal. The interior of the pool is decorated with mosaics depicting fish and mussels. 4th century CE.

Wall mosaic detail from the podium of the Roman temple at Milreu, Portugal. 4th century CE. The wall mosaic depicts fish, dolphins, and seashells and surrounds the temple podium. Such a colorful mosaic frieze around a temple podium seems...

Ruins of a water temple next to a villa, situated within the Roman ruins of Milreu, near Estói, southern Portugal. 4th century CE. The square cella of the temple ends in an apse to the south. The podium is decorated with a wall mosaic depicting...

Oliver Hazard Perry rows to the USS Niagara during the Battle of Lake Erie (10 September 1813), by Edward Percy Moran, 1911. Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry talks to his men in the minutes before the Battle of Lake Erie (10 September 1813), engraving by J. R. Chapin, and W. Ridgway, 1860. Library of Congress, Washington D.C.