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A 1300-year-old black lacquered leather belt, which belonged to the emperor Shōmu , now housed at the Shōsō-in in Japan. The buckle is made of gilded silver, and the plaques are made of lapis lazuli. The top image is that of the original while the bottom one is a reproduction

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A 1300-year-old black lacquered leather belt, which belonged to the emperor Shōmu , now housed at the Shōsō-in in Japan. The buckle is made of gilded silver, and the plaques are made of lapis lazuli. The top image is that of the original while the bottom one is a reproduction

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A self-portrait medallion of Jean Fouquet, originally part of the frame of the Melun Diptych. Fouquet is shown frontally, his gold image is engraved into the black enamel background and framed by his name. Made in 1450 CE, now housed at the Louvre Museum

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A self-portrait medallion of Jean Fouquet, originally part of the frame of the Melun Diptych. Fouquet is shown frontally, his gold image is engraved into the black enamel background and framed by his name. Made in 1450 CE, now housed at the Louvre Museum

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Burial 10 at the 3000-year-old Teouma Lapita cemetery, in Vanuatu , and which contained the headless skeleton of an old man with 3 skulls placed on his chest

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Burial 10 at the 3000-year-old Teouma Lapita cemetery, in Vanuatu , and which contained the headless skeleton of an old man with 3 skulls placed on his chest

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A 5,200-year-old pottery bowl from Shahr-e Sukhteh bearing what is considered the world's oldest example of animation. It shows five sequential images of a wild goat leaping to reach a tree, and when placed in sequence, they create a brief animated scene. National Museum of Iran.

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A 5,200-year-old pottery bowl from Shahr-e Sukhteh bearing what is considered the world's oldest example of animation. It shows five sequential images of a wild goat leaping to reach a tree, and when placed in sequence, they create a brief animated scene. National Museum of Iran.

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A Men's gilded leather shoes from Norfolk, dating to 1890-1899 AD. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, these ankle boots are a blend of silvered leather, black silk brocade, and gold gilded accents.

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A Men's gilded leather shoes from Norfolk, dating to 1890-1899 AD. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, these ankle boots are a blend of silvered leather, black silk brocade, and gold gilded accents.

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A 2,500-year-old Persian Acinaces, one of the few remaining royal swords from the Achaemenid Empire in exceptional condition. Made of pure gold and related to the era of Darius the Great, it was discovered in Hamadan , and is housed at National Museum of Iran.

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A 2,500-year-old Persian Acinaces, one of the few remaining royal swords from the Achaemenid Empire in exceptional condition. Made of pure gold and related to the era of Darius the Great, it was discovered in Hamadan , and is housed at National Museum of Iran.

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The Langstrup Belt Plate is a 3400-year-old bronze belt plate with a diameter of 28 cm, which was found in 1879 in a bog in North Zealand, Denmark. Now housed at the National Museum in Copenhagen

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The Langstrup Belt Plate is a 3400-year-old bronze belt plate with a diameter of 28 cm, which was found in 1879 in a bog in North Zealand, Denmark. Now housed at the National Museum in Copenhagen

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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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A pectoral made of gold and lapis lazuli, found in the burial of the queen Kama in Leontopolis, Egypt. 837-728 BCE, now housed at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo

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A pectoral made of gold and lapis lazuli, found in the burial of the queen Kama in Leontopolis, Egypt. 837-728 BCE, now housed at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo

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A jade burial suit is a ceremonial suit made of pieces of jade in which royal members of China's Han dynasty were buried. The top one for example belongs to the king Liu Wu , and was made from more than 4,000 pieces of jade linked together with gold wire

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A jade burial suit is a ceremonial suit made of pieces of jade in which royal members of China's Han dynasty were buried. The top one for example belongs to the king Liu Wu , and was made from more than 4,000 pieces of jade linked together with gold wire

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The stationery box of the emperor Qianlong , now housed at the Palace Museum in Beijing, China. The piece of furniture can be a table when opened and a box when folded

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The stationery box of the emperor Qianlong , now housed at the Palace Museum in Beijing, China. The piece of furniture can be a table when opened and a box when folded

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Knossos Griffin fresco, Knossos Palace Throne Room, Crete. One of the accurate reproductions at the restored room. The surviving original, the remains of which served to make the frescoes now at Knossos, dates from c.1600 BCE, and can be seen at the Heraklion Archaeological Museum

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Knossos Griffin fresco, Knossos Palace Throne Room, Crete. One of the accurate reproductions at the restored room. The surviving original, the remains of which served to make the frescoes now at Knossos, dates from c.1600 BCE, and can be seen at the Heraklion Archaeological Museum

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The interior of the main hall of the Genko-an temple in Kyoto, Japan, built in 1694 CE. The temple is famous for its 2 large windows . One is round and is called “The Window of Enlightenment” while the other is square and is called “The Window of Confusion”

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The interior of the main hall of the Genko-an temple in Kyoto, Japan, built in 1694 CE. The temple is famous for its 2 large windows . One is round and is called “The Window of Enlightenment” while the other is square and is called “The Window of Confusion”

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A gilt copper round box with openwork decoration of leaf scrolls and dragon. From the reign of the Emperor Qianlong , now housed at the Palace Museum in Beijing China

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A gilt copper round box with openwork decoration of leaf scrolls and dragon. From the reign of the Emperor Qianlong , now housed at the Palace Museum in Beijing China

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A shell-shaped jasper vessel with a snail on the lid, made in 1662-1675 CE and now housed at the Museo del Prado in Madrid. Made of aquamarine, jasper, zircon, emerald, turquoise, amethyst, sapphires, white beryl, topaz, silver gilt, gold and rubies

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A shell-shaped jasper vessel with a snail on the lid, made in 1662-1675 CE and now housed at the Museo del Prado in Madrid. Made of aquamarine, jasper, zircon, emerald, turquoise, amethyst, sapphires, white beryl, topaz, silver gilt, gold and rubies

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A whalebone plaque found at the Scar boat burial in Orkney, Scotland. The Viking burial, which dates to between 875 and 950 CE, contained the remains of a man, an elderly woman, and a child, along with numerous grave goods. Now housed at the Orkney Museum

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A whalebone plaque found at the Scar boat burial in Orkney, Scotland. The Viking burial, which dates to between 875 and 950 CE, contained the remains of a man, an elderly woman, and a child, along with numerous grave goods. Now housed at the Orkney Museum

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A pair of shoes and embroidered stockings, c 1890 CE by C. Tischer. The shoes are made of dark blue velvet and are embroidered with gilt plate over paper to create abstract floral designs. Now housed at the FIDM Museum in Los Angeles

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A pair of shoes and embroidered stockings, c 1890 CE by C. Tischer. The shoes are made of dark blue velvet and are embroidered with gilt plate over paper to create abstract floral designs. Now housed at the FIDM Museum in Los Angeles

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A 15,000-year-old baton made from a reindeer antler, and depicts a leaping horse. Found at the Bruniquel Cave, and is now housed at the National Archaeological Museum in Saint-Germain en Laye, France

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A 15,000-year-old baton made from a reindeer antler, and depicts a leaping horse. Found at the Bruniquel Cave, and is now housed at the National Archaeological Museum in Saint-Germain en Laye, France

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2nd century CE Roman leather shoes for a man, woman and child, recovered from the Bar Hill Fort in the centre of the Antonine Wall. Now housed at the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow, Scotland

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2nd century CE Roman leather shoes for a man, woman and child, recovered from the Bar Hill Fort in the centre of the Antonine Wall. Now housed at the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow, Scotland

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