Images

A decorated human skull thought to represent the Mesoamerican god Tezcatlipoca. Mosaic of turquoise and lignite cover the skull with red thorny oyster shell used around the nasal cavity. Polished pyrite surrounded by white conch shell provide...

A section of the 1st century CE cupids frieze from the triclinium or dining room from the House of the Vetti in Pompeii. The frieze depicts cupids selling flowers and perfumes and as workers who sell flowers, make wine and work gold.

A section of the garden fresco from the triclinium or dining room from Livia's Villa, Rome, 1st century BCE. The fresco runs around all four walls and gives a 360° panorama of a luxuriant garden with birds and insects against a brilliant...

A detail of the 1st century BCE fresco which entirely decorated a cubiculum (probably a bedroom) of the Villa of the Farnesina in Rome. The room has a distinct Egyptian flavour mixed with scenes from Greek mythology. (Palazzo Massimo, Rome...

A detail of the 1st century BCE fresco which decorated the dining room (triclinium) of the Villa of the Farnesina in Rome. The long frieze depicts judicial scenes, perhaps famous cases and the events which led to the trial. (Palazzo Massimo...

The mummy of Armenirdis, late XXII-XXV Dynasty (800-664 BCE), Thebes. (The Vatican Museums, Rome).

The Belvedere Apollo statue considered to be a 2nd century CE copy of a bronze statue of the 4th century BCE by Leochares. The god would have once held a bow in his left hand. (The Vatican Museums, Rome).

Laocoon was a Trojan hero who during the Trojan war tried to warn his compatriots against accepting the gift of the Trojan Horse. However, Athena and Poseidon, who supported the Greeks, sent two gigantic sea snakes to destroy Laocoon. This...

A 19th century CE print depicting the major Hindu deity Indra riding his white elephant Airāvata and carrying a chisel, sword and thunderbolt indicating his role as king of the gods and bringer of beneficent rain. (British Museum, London).

Xipe Totec was the Mesoamerican god of spring and patron of planting, seeds and goldsmiths and particularly worshipped by the Aztecs. Human sacrifices were made to the god and the skins of the victims worn in imitation of the process of regeneration...