Images

A detail of a burnished earthenware figurine of a Mongol. Yuan Dynasty, 14th century CE. H. 11 7/16 in. (29 cm); W. 4 7/16 in. (11.3 cm); D. 3 3/8 in. (8.6 cm). (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York)

Masyaf castle, Orontes Valley, Syria, one-time castle of the Assassins (aka Nizari Ismailis) from c. 1141 CE to 1256 CE.

Seated figure of the Egyptian steward Nemti-hotep. Quartzite. From Asyut, Egypt. Middle Kingdom, 12th Dynasty, reign of Senusret III, 1872-1853 BCE. It is on display at the Neues Museum, Berlin, Germany.

Neferure was Hatshepsut's daughter. Senenmut was a confidant and educator of Neferure in addition to being an architect and government official. He was allowed to erect his own statues in Thebes (reflecting his high status). The girl is wrapped...

This limestone statue of the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten is not finished. The surface is still rough and there are remnants of red and black preliminary drawings. Akhenaten wears the blue crown of Egypt and holds a sacrificial plate. Purchased...

This is a detail of a large limestone relief (showing the great royal hunting scene of the Egyptian pharaoh Sahure). Here, Sahure wears a knee-length kilt. From the Valley-Temple, Pyramid Complex of Sahure at Abusir, Egypt. Old Kingdom, 5th...

Seated statue of Amenhotep-user (the doorkeeper of Amun) and his wife, Ta-net-wadj. Their daughter and son are depicted on the lower part, flanking them. Quartzite. New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, reign of Amenhotep II, 1428-1397 BCE. From Thebes...

Standing-striding statue of Per-her-nefret, foremost of the lands of the king. Wood. Old Kingdom, 5th Dynasty, 3350-3300 BCE. From Fayum, Kafr Ammar (Tarkhan), Egypt. It is on display at the Neues Museum, Berlin, Germany.

A seated man is flanked by his son and daughter. Granite. From Western Thebes, Egypt. Middle Kingdom, 13th Dynasty, c. 1900 BCE. It is on display at the Neues Museum, Berlin, Germany.

Seated figure of the Egyptian governor Hori with an inscription of a prayer to the god Ptah-Soker-Osiris. Basalt. Middle Kingdom, 13th Dynasty, 1750-1700 BCE. From Egypt, precise provenance unknown. It is on display at the Neues Museum...