Images

A portrait by Hasegawa Tôhaku of the celebrated tea master Sen no Rikyu (1522-1591 CE) who is credited with creating the established procedures for the Japanese tea ceremony.

The pond garden of Ryoanji, a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan, founded in 1473 CE.

A detail of the Zen rock garden of Ryoanji temple, Kyoto, Japan. The garden dates to c. 1500 CE but the exact significance of its 15 stones is unknown except that they are designed to promote meditation.

This limestone plaque was excavated by the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago in the early 1930s, 1st season. It depicts three scenes in three registers. The upper register shows a banquet scene with musicians. The middle register...

The cuneiform inscription on the base of this headless states that the statue belongs to the king of "E-Kizal-Ki" (region or district), whose name was "Il-La", and who has dedicated this own statue to the god Ningishzida. Early Dynastic period...

Sumerian male worshiper from the Shara Temple at Tell Agrab, Mesopotamia, Iraq. Early Dynastic period, 2600-2400 BCE. The eyes were made of a shell set in bitumen while the pupils were made of black limestone. The eyebrows were painted with...

Head of a statuette of a Sumerian female worshiper from the Shara Temple at Tell Agrab, Mesopotamia, Iraq. Early Dynastic period, c. 2400 BCE. Excavated by the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago in 1930s. On display at the Iraq...

Statue of a seated goddess, Bau (Nintinugga), from the Ningal Complex at the city of Ur, Iraq. Isin-Larsa period, c. 1800 BCE. Bau was the consort of the god Ninurta and the goddess of healing. On display the Iraq Museum in Baghdad, Republic...

Statue of a Sumerian male worshiper from the hoard in Nintu Temple V at Khafajah (ancient Tutub), Mesopotamia, Iraq. Early Dynastic period, 2600-2400 BCE. Excavated by the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago in the 1930s, 8th...

This is a votive statuette of a male Sumerian worshiper from the Square Temple of Abu at Tell Asmar (ancient Eshnunna, Mesopotamia, Iraq), Early Dynastic III, 2600-2400 BCE. Excavated by the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago...