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One of the famous Nimrud Ivories, depicting a lioness devouring a man. This furniture panel with gold leaf and carnelian and lapis inlays was made by Phoenician craftsmen for the palace of Ashurnasirpal II, King of Assyria , at his capital known in ancient times as Kalhu

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One of the famous Nimrud Ivories, depicting a lioness devouring a man. This furniture panel with gold leaf and carnelian and lapis inlays was made by Phoenician craftsmen for the palace of Ashurnasirpal II, King of Assyria , at his capital known in ancient times as Kalhu

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Bas-Relief of the Lion Hunt from the palace of the Assyrian king Ashurnasirpal II in Nimrud, Neo-Assyrian empire, ca. 883–859 BCE. They show the ritual "hunt" in an arena where captured Asian lions were released from cages for the king to kill with arrows...

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Bas-Relief of the Lion Hunt from the palace of the Assyrian king Ashurnasirpal II in Nimrud, Neo-Assyrian empire, ca. 883–859 BCE. They show the ritual "hunt" in an arena where captured Asian lions were released from cages for the king to kill with arrows...

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A lioness devouring a man in a thicket of stylized lotus and papyrus plants. Phoenician 900-700BC. Lapis lazuli, ivory, gold, cornelian

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A lioness devouring a man in a thicket of stylized lotus and papyrus plants. Phoenician 900-700BC. Lapis lazuli, ivory, gold, cornelian

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Assyrian Gypsum Wall-panel Relief showing a Colossal Lion Statue , which once guarded the entrance to the Temple of Ishtar from Nimrud . The cuneiform inscriptions on the statue mentions the name of King Ashurnasirpal II as the temple's builder.

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Assyrian Gypsum Wall-panel Relief showing a Colossal Lion Statue , which once guarded the entrance to the Temple of Ishtar from Nimrud . The cuneiform inscriptions on the statue mentions the name of King Ashurnasirpal II as the temple's builder.

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This beautiful necklace of Princess Khenmet was found on her mummy, and is formed of a series of amulets made of gold, and set with semiprecious stones, such as carnelian, turquoise and lapis lazuli. Ca. 1932-1898 BCE, now housed at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo

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This beautiful necklace of Princess Khenmet was found on her mummy, and is formed of a series of amulets made of gold, and set with semiprecious stones, such as carnelian, turquoise and lapis lazuli. Ca. 1932-1898 BCE, now housed at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo

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Winged genie fertilizing a date tree, from the Palace of Ashurnasirpal II in Nimrud. Assyrian, 884-860 BC. Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri.

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Winged genie fertilizing a date tree, from the Palace of Ashurnasirpal II in Nimrud. Assyrian, 884-860 BC. Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri.

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This cup, made for Duke Albrecht V of Bavaria, is covered in white enamel inlaid with delicate gold leaf-and-tendril ornament, and studded with 36 large sapphires. The warrior in Classical armour on the lid holds aloft a sapphire ring. 1563 CE, now housed at the Munich Residenz

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This cup, made for Duke Albrecht V of Bavaria, is covered in white enamel inlaid with delicate gold leaf-and-tendril ornament, and studded with 36 large sapphires. The warrior in Classical armour on the lid holds aloft a sapphire ring. 1563 CE, now housed at the Munich Residenz

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Roman gold, carnelian and onyx ring adorned with a cameo depicting a Satyr and a Nymph, made of gold, 50 BC - 20 AD, found in Petescia in Italy.

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Roman gold, carnelian and onyx ring adorned with a cameo depicting a Satyr and a Nymph, made of gold, 50 BC - 20 AD, found in Petescia in Italy.

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An ancient Egyptian ring decorated with Nefer signs and lotus flowers. Made of gold, lapis lazuli, turquoise and carnelian. New Kingdom , now housed at Louvre Museum

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An ancient Egyptian ring decorated with Nefer signs and lotus flowers. Made of gold, lapis lazuli, turquoise and carnelian. New Kingdom , now housed at Louvre Museum

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Furniture made during the Liao Dynasty, around 907-1125 CE, excavated from the underground palace in Tian Kai Ta, in Fangshan District of Beijing. Now housed at the Capital Museum in China

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Furniture made during the Liao Dynasty, around 907-1125 CE, excavated from the underground palace in Tian Kai Ta, in Fangshan District of Beijing. Now housed at the Capital Museum in China

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A 15th century BC collar made of gold, carnelian, obsidian and glass, which was gifted by Thutmose III to one of his three foreign wives. It was found in their communal, lavishly furnished rock-cut tomb in the same valley where Hatshepsut was going to be buried before she became pharaoh.

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A 15th century BC collar made of gold, carnelian, obsidian and glass, which was gifted by Thutmose III to one of his three foreign wives. It was found in their communal, lavishly furnished rock-cut tomb in the same valley where Hatshepsut was going to be buried before she became pharaoh.

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A 1,500-year-old Sassanid necklace made of gold, with three lapis lazuli plaques depicting lion and king.

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A 1,500-year-old Sassanid necklace made of gold, with three lapis lazuli plaques depicting lion and king.

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The gold embroidered robe with dragons and phoenixes of the female general Qin Liangyu , who is best known for defending the Ming dynasty from attacks by the Manchu-led Later Jin dynasty in the 17th century

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The gold embroidered robe with dragons and phoenixes of the female general Qin Liangyu , who is best known for defending the Ming dynasty from attacks by the Manchu-led Later Jin dynasty in the 17th century

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Middle Kingdom Pectoral of Senusret II, made of cloisonné inlays on gold of carnelian, feldspar, garnet, turquoise, lapis lazuli that was found in the tomb of Princess Sit-Hathor Yunet, the daughter of Pharaoh Senusret II.

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Middle Kingdom Pectoral of Senusret II, made of cloisonné inlays on gold of carnelian, feldspar, garnet, turquoise, lapis lazuli that was found in the tomb of Princess Sit-Hathor Yunet, the daughter of Pharaoh Senusret II.

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A limestone Roman funerary stele depicting a seated woman with necklaces and earrings. From Athienou in Cyprus, end of 1st century CE, now housed at the Louvre museum in Paris

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A limestone Roman funerary stele depicting a seated woman with necklaces and earrings. From Athienou in Cyprus, end of 1st century CE, now housed at the Louvre museum in Paris

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Furniture element carved in the round with the head of a roaring lion, Assyrian, c. 9th–8th century BCE

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Furniture element carved in the round with the head of a roaring lion, Assyrian, c. 9th–8th century BCE

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This gold bracelet of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Shoshenq IIa is crafted in two hinged sections, and set at its center with a lapis lazuli Mesopotamian cylinder seal dating to the Akkadian Empire . Now housed at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo

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This gold bracelet of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Shoshenq IIa is crafted in two hinged sections, and set at its center with a lapis lazuli Mesopotamian cylinder seal dating to the Akkadian Empire . Now housed at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo

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A large Neo-Assyrian lapis lazuli cylinder seal from Babylon in Iraq, and dated to the reign of the king Esarhaddon , depicting the storm god Adad, standing on a stylized pedestal, with bolts of lightning in his hands, and a lion-dragon on a leash lying at his feet

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A large Neo-Assyrian lapis lazuli cylinder seal from Babylon in Iraq, and dated to the reign of the king Esarhaddon , depicting the storm god Adad, standing on a stylized pedestal, with bolts of lightning in his hands, and a lion-dragon on a leash lying at his feet

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Ivory Carving, 8-7th century BC. Probably Neo Assyrian. Restored vs real. This piece, known as "Panel fragments with hunting scenes", supposedly found in Ziwiye, Iran, depicts a hunting or battle scene. Its similarity with certain Assyrian reliefs, has led to classifying it as Assyrian...

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Ivory Carving, 8-7th century BC. Probably Neo Assyrian. Restored vs real. This piece, known as "Panel fragments with hunting scenes", supposedly found in Ziwiye, Iran, depicts a hunting or battle scene. Its similarity with certain Assyrian reliefs, has led to classifying it as Assyrian...

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