Images

The Golden Pavilion, Kinkaku-ji temple, Kyoto, Japan. The top two stories are gilded with gold leaf both outside and inside. Founded in 1397 CE, the Buddhist temple was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1955 CE.

Egyptian bronze sistrum. Late Period, 664-332 BCE. Thebes, Egypt. From The British Museum, (photo taken at The Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, Australia) This sistrum is decorated with incised scenes, including the goddess Hathor with bovine...

Ostracon depicting an Egyptian dancer, found at Deir el-Medina. New Kingdom of Egypt, 19th or 20th Dynasties, (c. 1200 BCE). Egyptian Museum, Turin.

18th Dynasty, reign of Amenhotep III (c. 1390-1352 BCE) Bronze or copper alloy, faience, glass, agate, carnelian, lapis lazuli, turquoise Metropolitan Museum of Art

A Japanese scroll depicting the Buddhist bodhisattva Hachiman, also the Shinto god of war and culture.

King Arthur's sword Excalibur from the 1981 Film 'Excalibur'. (London Film Museum)

An illustration by the 19th century CE artist Walter Crane depicting Sir Bedevere throwing King Arthur's sword Excalibur back into the lake from whence it came.

Modern reproduction of a medieval sword.

A manuscript of the second chapter of the ancient biblical book of Amos by a scribe in the 6th century CE copying a c. 750 BCE original. (University of Pennsylvania Library, USA)

A 19th century CE artist's impression of the prophet Amos looking over the wickedness of Israel in grief.