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Towards the end of the Edo-period in Japan , sideshow carnivals featured curious spectacles—one of which was the pregnant doll. With a belly that opened to reveal foetal models, it's now housed in the Edo-Tokyo Museum.

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Towards the end of the Edo-period in Japan , sideshow carnivals featured curious spectacles—one of which was the pregnant doll. With a belly that opened to reveal foetal models, it's now housed in the Edo-Tokyo Museum.

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A Japanese ivory netsuke with rabbit and mortar design. Edo Period, 18th century CE, now housed at the Tokyo National Museum

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A Japanese ivory netsuke with rabbit and mortar design. Edo Period, 18th century CE, now housed at the Tokyo National Museum

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A bronze water dropper shaped like a long-eared hare. Edo period, 18th–19th century CE, now housed at Tokyo National Museum in Japan

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A bronze water dropper shaped like a long-eared hare. Edo period, 18th–19th century CE, now housed at Tokyo National Museum in Japan

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A 19th-century "Totokia" war club from Fiji. Carved from ironwood, its beak design is inspired by the pandanus fruit and was specifically engineered to puncture skulls. Now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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A 19th-century "Totokia" war club from Fiji. Carved from ironwood, its beak design is inspired by the pandanus fruit and was specifically engineered to puncture skulls. Now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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The Unique 2nd century CE Roman sarcophagus of Simpelveld, now housed at the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden in the Netherlands. The sarcophagus, which was made for a woman, was carved entirely in high relief on the inside in order to look like a room in a luxurious home crammed with furniture

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The Unique 2nd century CE Roman sarcophagus of Simpelveld, now housed at the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden in the Netherlands. The sarcophagus, which was made for a woman, was carved entirely in high relief on the inside in order to look like a room in a luxurious home crammed with furniture

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An ancient Chinese incense burner. Stoneware, with clear glaze and modeled dragons and lotus petals. Sui to early Tang dynasty, late 6th–7th century CE. Now housed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston

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An ancient Chinese incense burner. Stoneware, with clear glaze and modeled dragons and lotus petals. Sui to early Tang dynasty, late 6th–7th century CE. Now housed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston

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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 relief of Ereshkigal, the Sumerian goddess of death and the underworld, which was created over 3,800 years ago in what's believed to be present day southern Iraq. It is now on display at the British Museum in London.

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A relief of Ereshkigal, the Sumerian goddess of death and the underworld, which was created over 3,800 years ago in what's believed to be present day southern Iraq. It is now on display at the British Museum in London.

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A reliquary casket made of gilded and engraved silver and semi-precious stones. 15th century CE, now housed at the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo in Florence, Italy

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A reliquary casket made of gilded and engraved silver and semi-precious stones. 15th century CE, now housed at the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo in Florence, Italy

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Japanese ivory netsuke in the shape of a man heralding the New Year, Edo period, 18th-19th century, Bern History Museum. In Japanese art, netsuke are wooden or ivory figurines used as a fastener to secure pouches or other items on the belt.

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Japanese ivory netsuke in the shape of a man heralding the New Year, Edo period, 18th-19th century, Bern History Museum. In Japanese art, netsuke are wooden or ivory figurines used as a fastener to secure pouches or other items on the belt.

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A silver Roman ring with a jasper intaglio depicting a pegasus. 3rd-4th century CE, now housed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest

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A silver Roman ring with a jasper intaglio depicting a pegasus. 3rd-4th century CE, now housed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest

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A bronze table with frogs and snakes design, Warring States Period to Western Han Dynasty , now housed at the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture Museum in China

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A bronze table with frogs and snakes design, Warring States Period to Western Han Dynasty , now housed at the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture Museum in China

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An Edo Period Fumi-E. During the Edo Period, when Christianity was outlawed in Japan, many suspected Christians were forced to recant their faith or die, by performing Fumi-E. That is, stepping on an icon of Christ, or the Virgin Mary. A bit oxidized, but still well preserved

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An Edo Period Fumi-E. During the Edo Period, when Christianity was outlawed in Japan, many suspected Christians were forced to recant their faith or die, by performing Fumi-E. That is, stepping on an icon of Christ, or the Virgin Mary. A bit oxidized, but still well preserved

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The reliquary of the tooth of Saint John the Baptist, 9th century CE, made of gold and precious stones, now housed at the Museum and Treasury of Monza Cathedral in Italy

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The reliquary of the tooth of Saint John the Baptist, 9th century CE, made of gold and precious stones, now housed at the Museum and Treasury of Monza Cathedral in Italy

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In 1776, Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence on this portable desk. It features a hinged writing board and a locking drawer for papers, pens and inkwell. Now housed at the National Museum of American History in Washington D.C.

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In 1776, Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence on this portable desk. It features a hinged writing board and a locking drawer for papers, pens and inkwell. Now housed at the National Museum of American History in Washington D.C.

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Stone relief that served as a shop sign in Ostia in the late 2nd century AD. The picture shows a saleswoman with pens of chickens and hares; baskets of fruit, one of which contains figs; a vat of snails, a delicacy; and two monkeys to attract and entertain customers. Museum of Ostia

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Stone relief that served as a shop sign in Ostia in the late 2nd century AD. The picture shows a saleswoman with pens of chickens and hares; baskets of fruit, one of which contains figs; a vat of snails, a delicacy; and two monkeys to attract and entertain customers. Museum of Ostia

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"Fish and octopus " made by the Japanese painter Itō Jakuchū in 1765-1766 CE. Now housed at the Museum of the Imperial Collections in Tokyo

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"Fish and octopus " made by the Japanese painter Itō Jakuchū in 1765-1766 CE. Now housed at the Museum of the Imperial Collections in Tokyo

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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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The Minakuchi rapier, believed to have been made in Japan in the early Edo period . It is currently on loan from the Fujisaka Shrine to the Minakuchi History and Folklore Museum in Japan

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The Minakuchi rapier, believed to have been made in Japan in the early Edo period . It is currently on loan from the Fujisaka Shrine to the Minakuchi History and Folklore Museum in Japan

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Jade miniature mountain of a cave with meditating Bodhidharma, Qianlong period , now housed at the National Palace Museum in Taiwan

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Jade miniature mountain of a cave with meditating Bodhidharma, Qianlong period , now housed at the National Palace Museum in Taiwan

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