Images

2900-2350 BCE. Chaplet that decorated the forehead of the one of the king's attendants, who would have been buried with the king. Found in cemetery at Ur by Sir Leonard Woolley, 1920-1930 CE. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Mesopotamian male worshiper votive figure, from Eshnunna, Mesopotamia (modern-day Tell Asmar), 2750-2600 BCE. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Goddess Ishtar, Mesopotamia, Babylonian, c. 2000 BCE, Terracotta. The Phil Berg Collection, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).

NAM, Athens, 1130. Late 6th century BCE. This lekythos (perfume vessel) depicts the story of Odyssey, 12, where Odysseus is tied to his ship's mast in order to hear the music of the sirens, but to be restrained from straying into their danger...

Detail of Marsyas from NAM, Athens, 215. The bearded satyr can be seen in a state of movement as he plays his auloi, the spread of his fingers is preserved by the left hand, and presumably corresponds to the finger-holes of the instrument

Detail of Apollo from NAM, Athens, 215. He is seated on a tree stump, wearing chlamys and chiton, and sandals. In his left hand he rests his seven string lyre (the stings would have been painted; the number of tuning pegs gives their frequency...

National Archaeological Museum, Athens, 215. 330-20 BCE. This relief slab is one of four that made up the revetment of a pedestal (only three survive), and was found at Mantineia, Arcadia. The pedestal either acted as a base for a statue...

The military amphitheatre of Burnum Legionary Camp in Dalmatia (modern-day Croatia). It was completed in 76-77 CE under Vespasian. The legionary camp was erected at the turn of the new era at a strategically important position from which...

Artist's impression of how a Greek religious festival may have looked like.

Foundation figure of King Shulgi of Ur carrying a basket, copper, c. 2094–2047 BCE. Foundation figures were buried in the foundations of a temple and show the king carrying building materials for the temple. Building and restoring temples...