Images

The moulded heads of a satyr and of a woman are joined back-to-back on this kantharos (drinking cup). Drinking from it, the (male) symposiast would have found himself confronted with 2 different images that represent opposites of himself...

These strap fittings come from the leather belts or harness that held the purse and sword at the dead man's waist. They are made of gold and most are decorated with cloisonne garnets. The triangle fitting resembles a stylized animal mask...

The Franks continued to produce glass vessels and wheel-made pottery using Roman methods, but the finer skills were lost and glassware became a luxury, used only at high status feasts. Roman glass-making centers in the Rhineland (Western...

Terracotta statuette of a warrior carrying a Celtic shield. He is depicted with long hair, drooping moustache, trousers and a tunic. 2nd century CE. (Ashmolean Museum, UK)

While this class of bowl typically bears bird motifs on the outside, this example, dating to the mid-sixth century BCE, features the stylistic representation of plants and geometric motifs instead. The inside simply features simple banding...

Two-metre high granite relief sculpture of Manjusri, a bodhisattva. The Seokguram Grotto, near Gyeongju, Korea. Height: over 2 metres. Unified Silla Period, 8th century CE.

A replica of the 3.45 m high granite Buddha of the Seokguram Grotto, an Buddhist artificial cave temple constructed during the Unified Silla Period (668-935 CE) of ancient Korea. It is located near the Bulguksa Temple on Mt. Toham at the...

The exterior of the Seokguram Grotto, a Buddhist cave temple constructed during the Unified Silla Period (668-935 CE) of ancient Korea. It is located near the Bulguksa Temple on Mt. Toham at the ancient Silla capital of Geumseong (modern...

A granite relief sculpture of Avalokitesvara, the eleven-headed bodhisattva. The Seokguram Grotto, near Gyeongju, Korea. Height: over 2 metres. Unified Silla Period, 8th century CE.

This sardonyx cameo depicts a man in profile looking to the left. Perhaps, he is Hercules. Skilful Roman cameo-carvers exploited the tonal contrast of some stones. This could be a simple two-tone contrast or a more subtle variation using...