Images

Egyptian broad collar in faience. The broad collar is one of the most characteristic elements of ancient Egyptian jewellery. Called wesekh, which means 'the broad one', broad collars are often made up of different rows of beads. 11th Dynasty...

Relief of Kemsit, one of King Mentuhotep's wives. 11th Dynasty, reign of King Mentuhotep, about 2055-2004 BCE. Deir el-Bahari, Egypt. Kemsit was also a priestess of Hathor and seems to have played an important role in the cult of the...

Statue of Itu, a priest, and his wife Henutweret. The smaller figure between them is their son Neferhebef. Mid-18th Dynasty (about 1400 BCE). Thebes, Egypt. From The British Museum, (photo taken at The Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, Australia...

A painted silk scroll depicting the four gods of Mount Koya. 16th century CE. (Tokyo National Museum)

A scene from an illustrated scroll of the legends concerning Hachiman. Colour on paper. 14th century CE. (Tokyo National Museum)

A detail of the lip of a deep Jomon bowl. Ubayama Shell Mound, Kashiwai-machi, Ichikawa-shi, Chiba, Japan. Jomon Period, 3000-2000 BCE. (Tokyo National Museum)

A spouted vessel from Azusawa Shell Mound, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo. Jomon Period 2000-1000 BCE. (Tokyo National Museum)

A bronze Japanese dotaku or ritual bell. From Nakagawa (Akugaya), Hosoe-cho, Kita-ku, Hamamatsu-shi, Shizuoka, Japan. Yayoi Period, 1st-3rd century CE. (Tokyo National Museum)

A jar of the Yayoi Period, 1st-3rd century CE. From Kugahara, Ota-ku, Tokyo. Important Cultural Property. (Tokyo National Museum)

An offering vessel of Sue stoneware. From Kanmuriyama Tumulus, Shimoashimori, Kita-ku, Okayama, Japan. Kofun Period, 6th century CE. (Tokyo National Museum)