Images

These bronze hands would have decorated the end beams of a Roman ship. They were placed at the end of beams running parallel with the ship's long axis, two either side and with the arm horizontal and thumb pointing upwards. They were believed...

A bronze wolf which would have decorated the lengthwise beams on a Roman ship. The wolf was made using the lost-wax technique and dates to between 37 and 41 CE. The ring had no function other than decorative, used on occasions to hang garlands...

Statue of a Bodhisattva (someone who is on the way to obtaining enlightenment) from a Buddhist monastery in Afghanistan, a region where the Buddhist Lokottaravāda school (which emerged from the Mahasanghika school) were known to be prominent...

Possible remains of the Western Gate of Kapilavastu, the ancient Shakya city where Siddhartha Gautama lived until the age of 29. There is some controversy about the exact location of Kapilavastu. Some versions say that it is located in...

Russian Orthodox icon of the Apostle Paul, 18th century CE. Kizhi Monastery, Karelia, Russia.

The distinctive pyramid structures of the Tarascan capital Tzintzuntzan, Late Post-Classical period (1350-1520 CE). These structures, known as yacata, are unique in Mesoamerica and combine rectangular and circular stepped pyramids on a large...

A map of Mexico indicating in green the extent of the Tarascan empire in the late Post-Classic period (1350-1520 CE) and the Tarascan capital of Tzintzuntzan. Indicated in grey is the contemporary Aztec empire.

Image of the Maya Devi Temple and Holy Pond in Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha. The area of the temple covers the exact spot where Siddhartha Gautama was born, which is indicated by the marker stone. The Holy Pond is where, according...

Artistic representation of Maya giving birth to the Buddha. This depiction is part of the altar in the "Mother Temple of the Graduated Path to Enlightenment", an Austrian Buddhist temple located at the West Monastic Zone-9 in Lumbini, Rupandehi...

The 4th century Temple of Saturn in the Roman Forum of Rome. Once housing a cult statue of Saturn it was the focal point of the annual Saturnalia celebrations every December and housed the city's treasury.