Images

Bronze figure of Bastet from the Late Period of Ancient Egypt. Bastet, represented as a cat or a woman with a cat's head, was adored as goddess of fertility, festivity and intoxication. The British Museum, London.

Granite stela of Peribsen, 2nd Dynasty ruler of Egypt. The inscription consists of the serekh of Peribsen surmounted by the animal of Seth, the latter having been hammered out at a later date.

A bronze plaque upon which is engraved an edict from the second emepror of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE) in China. (Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto)

A detail from the Narmer Palette, Egypt, c. 3100 BCE. The inscribed slab depicts a king identified as Narmer conquering his enemies and subjugating the land. (Egyptian Museum, Cairo)

A detail from the Narmer Palette, Egypt, c. 3100 BCE. The inscribed slab depicts a king identified as Narmer conquering his enemies and subjugating the land. (Egyptian Museum, Cairo)

The cartouche of Egyptian king Menes, c. 3150 BCE, the legendary first ruler of Egypt considered to have united Upper and Lower Egypt and founded the First Dynasty. From the Abydos kinglist, Abydos, Egypt.

The first pyramid of Egypt, the Step Pyramid at Saqqara, Egypt. Constructed by the architect Imhotep c. 2670-2650 BCE during the reign of Djoser for that king's burial tomb.

Bronze figure of Imhotep, the architect of Djoser's Step Pyramid at Saqqara, represented as a seated scribe, dating from the Late Period of Ancient Egypt when Imhotep was deified some 2,000 years after his death. British Museum, London...

A Roman bronze coin depicting Marcus Aurelius on campaign. 2nd century CE. (Numismatics Museum, Athens)

Pottery ostrakon identifying Pericles, 444-443 BCE. These were used in Athens to vote a particular citizen to be exiled from the polis. From a well on the north slope of the acropolis of Athens. (Museum of the Ancient Agora, Athens)