Images

This relief of a male holding a bird is from the 5th century BCE, found in modern day western Turkey near the ancient city of Thyatira. Thyatira was named such by Seleucos I Nicator around 290 BCE but prior to that...

This tablet (tabular) dates to the 2nd century BCE and the ancient city of Thyatira. Thyatira was once a Lydian city, on the border of Lydia and Mysia, but at times was under the control of the Persians, and then the generals...

A Chinese miniature jade mask. 2nd millennium BCE. Height: 4 cm. (British Museum, London)

A Chinese jade plaque of a cormorant and fish. 1100-900 BCE. Height: 4 cm. (British Museum, London)

A Chinese cong of jade, a ritual object commonly found in tombs but of unknown function. Unknown date but probably Neolithic. Height: 12.9 cm. (British Museum, London)

A Chinese jade dragon. Zhou Dynasty, 5th-4th century BCE. Height: 9 cm. The British Museum, London.

A 19th-century illustration of Ryujin, the dragon king and sea god of Japanese mythology. Here he is chasing the princess Tamatori. National Museum, Warsaw.

Outside of West Kennet Long Barrow, Wiltshire, U.K., showing the sarsen stones of the forecourt/facade. 3,500-2,700 BCE.

The entrance of long barrow at Stoney Littleton, Somerset, U.K. 3,500-2,700 BCE.

Entrance and forecourt/facade of West Kennet Long Barrow, Wiltshire, U.K. 3,500-2,700 BCE.