Images

Bold designs on early Nazca vessels were naturalistic and representational, featuring motifs from land, sea, and air. Plants and animals were abundantly illustrated, most often on bottles and bowls. Figures are painted with simple outlines...

A scene from the 16th century CE Florentine Codex depicting Aztec musicians. Music and dance were an important element of Aztec education and public life.

A painting on gesso on limestone of the Egyptian noble known as Lady Tjepu. New Kingdom, Dynasty XVIII, c. 1390-1352 BCE. From the tomb of her son Nebamun, Thebes. (Brooklyn Museum, New York)

A Wari tapestry panel, 600-1000 CE. The design shows alternating natural and supernatural heads. The human heads wear a typical Wari tassled hat while the supernatural heads have a black headdress and they are sticking their tongues out...

A Maya vessel decorated with warrior figures. They are wearing animal headdresses and have trophy heads hanging from their belts. From Mexico or Guatemala, c. 600-800 CE. (Brooklyn Museum, New York)

A limestone relief depicting a nobleman, New Kingdom, Dynasty XIX or XX, c. 1295-1070 BCE. The figure is probably a scene from an offering in the Underworld. On the left side a hand is holding a sistrum and flower. (Brooklyn Museum, New York...

Three heads of worshippers from the Temple of Apollo-Reshef, Cyprus, 350-250 BCE. Early Hellenistic style. (British Museum, London)

The hieroglyphs running down this limestone coffin lid in 3 columns state that the coffin contains the remains of Paamennesutawy, son of Horiru and the Lady of the Estate Nubty. The figures down either side of the text are representations...

This alabaster bas-relief depicts the Assyrian king Ashurnasirpal II praying in a religious ceremony. The king (right) holds a bowl (filled with a fluid) with his right hand and puts his left hand on his sword hilt. Before him, a royal attendant...

This limestone statue depicts a citizen from the city of Oxyrhynchus (part of modern-day El-Bahnasa, Egypt). Traces of the original colors can still be seen. The man wears a toga dress. The city developed a culture influenced by Greece and...