Images

Egyptian cosmetic box. New Kingdom, about 1550-1069 BCE. Thebes, Egypt. From The British Museum, (photo taken at The Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, Australia) This wooden cosmetic box is delicately incised with a leaf motif. It still contains...

Statue of a man. 12th Dynasty, about 1911-1870 BCE. Deir el-Bersheh, Egypt. The British Museum, (photo taken at The Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, Australia) This figure, with its short wig and long kilt, is thought to depict one of the earliest...

Egyptian relief of a harp player. 19th Dynasty, about 1295-1186 BCE. Abydos, Egypt. From The British Museum, (photo taken at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, Australia)

Egyptian arched harp. New Kingdom, about 1550-1070 BCE. Thebes, Egypt. Made with wood, bone and glazed composition. The British Museum, (photo taken at The Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, Australia)

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)