Images

The Seiden royal audience hall of Shuri Castle, Okinawa, Japan. Today's building is a fully reconstructed version of the medieval building which was destroyed in 1945 CE.

The fortification walls and Kankaimon gate of Shuri Castle, Okinawa, Japan. 14th century CE.

Red-figured squat lekythos (oil-bottle) with a tragic mask (perhaps Electra's) and a stage. Made in Lucania, Italy, c. 360-320 BCE. British Museum, London.

A map showing the raids made by wako pirates during the 16th century CE.

An 18th century CE illustration showing a naval battle between Japanese pirates (wako) and Chinese naval ships. (Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam)

A modern replica of a Korean turtle-ship (kobukson), used by Admiral Yi Sun-sin in the Imjin Wars between Korea, China & Japan (1592-8 CE). The precise design is not known except that the deck was covered, perhaps using iron plating, and...

This openwork, tenoned panel was fragmentary when found. It depicts a lion seated to the left and facing the stylized tree. The lion is crowned with the sun-disc and displays pointed, dog-like ears. He wears a lappet wig and usekh collar...

On a sacred barge with papyrus prows, a crowned sun-disc (with two cobras) rides and appears to arise from the horizon. It is flanked by two Ba birds. On the disc, there is the so-called triple (hmhm) atef crown, flanked by uraei set on a...

This ivory piece is part of the so-called "equestrian bridle-harness ornaments". It represents the lower part of a hinged frontlet, virtually complete. Most of the hinges and much of the iron pin have survived. A figure of the Egyptian...

This ivory plaque is virtually complete but burnt (partly black and partly grey). It depicts the bearded head and forequarters of a sphinx, advancing left with head turned outwards. This is one of the rare examples of the combination of Syrian...