Images

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...

Iufenamun was a senior priest from ancient Egypt. Scientists created this image of Iufenamun by using an advanced digital technology after scanning his mummy. It seems that he died at the age of 40 years. It is believed that Iufenamun and...

Tjentweretheqaw was the grandmother of Iufenamun (he was a senior priest from ancient Egypt). The lid came to the Museum (wrongly) covering the coffin base and mummy of her grandson Iufenamun. Tjentweretheqaw's mummy and coffin base are not...

Oil, especially olive oil, was stored in specialized Greek pottery; lekythos (pleural, lekythoi). Many lekythoi were found inside tombs; they were used to anoint the dead bodies of single men. Mainly dull red and black paints were used by...

The Lebes gamikos (marriage vase) was used in marriage ceremonies in ancient Greece. It was used for sprinkling the bride before the wedding. Apulia, southern Italy, circa 350-320 BCE. (National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, UK)

This red stone statue depicts Surasundari (or heavenly) beauty. The figure of the female was marvelously proportioned and bejeweled. The statue comes from the temples of Khajuraho; Khajuraho has the largest number of Hindu and Jain temples...

An Egyptian pyramidion. These formed the top of private tombs and were based on the "benen," the primeval mound of creation on which the son God was born. Egypt, 16th to 12th century BCE. (National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, UK)