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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 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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A Persian royal rhyton crafted from pure gold, widely regarded as the best-preserved example from the ancient world. Dating back to the Achaemenid Empire , it was discovered in Hamadan and is housed at the National Museum of Iran.

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A Persian royal rhyton crafted from pure gold, widely regarded as the best-preserved example from the ancient world. Dating back to the Achaemenid Empire , it was discovered in Hamadan and is housed at the National Museum of Iran.

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Part of the wall of Darius the Great's palace in Susa , which still retains its color after more than 2,500 years. Only two examples of this wall remains in the world today, one housed at the National Museum of Iran, and the other at Louvre.

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Part of the wall of Darius the Great's palace in Susa , which still retains its color after more than 2,500 years. Only two examples of this wall remains in the world today, one housed at the National Museum of Iran, and the other at Louvre.

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90 years ago today, local villagers in Shami accidentally unearthed a 2-meter statue while digging in the area. Shortly after, it was moved to the National Museum of Iran and dated to 50 BC. The Shami Statue is now considered the single most important work from the Parthian Empire.

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90 years ago today, local villagers in Shami accidentally unearthed a 2-meter statue while digging in the area. Shortly after, it was moved to the National Museum of Iran and dated to 50 BC. The Shami Statue is now considered the single most important work from the Parthian Empire.

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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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During an invasion of Naghadeh around 1200 BC, one of the soldiers grabbed a golden bowl from the treasury and tried to escape with it. He fell and died clutching it, bending the bowl under his weight. Discovered beneath his skeleton in 1958, it’s now housed at National Museum of Iran.

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During an invasion of Naghadeh around 1200 BC, one of the soldiers grabbed a golden bowl from the treasury and tried to escape with it. He fell and died clutching it, bending the bowl under his weight. Discovered beneath his skeleton in 1958, it’s now housed at National Museum of Iran.

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8,000-year-old flute made of migratory bird bone, one of the world's oldest known musical instruments. With four main holes and one at the end, its a testament to early humans' sophisticated skill in making musical instruments. Discovered in Shahrud, its housed at National Museum of Iran.

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8,000-year-old flute made of migratory bird bone, one of the world's oldest known musical instruments. With four main holes and one at the end, its a testament to early humans' sophisticated skill in making musical instruments. Discovered in Shahrud, its housed at National Museum of Iran.

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A boat carved from an olive pit, approximately 3.4 centimeters long and 1.4 cm wide, is dated to 1737. It is currently housed at the National Palace Museum in Taipei .

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A boat carved from an olive pit, approximately 3.4 centimeters long and 1.4 cm wide, is dated to 1737. It is currently housed at the National Palace Museum in Taipei .

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Pennannular brooch with beast-shaped terminals, part of the St Ninian's Isle Treasure, discovered in the late 1950s on an island in the Shetlands. From the latter part of the 8th century. National Museum of Scotland.

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Pennannular brooch with beast-shaped terminals, part of the St Ninian's Isle Treasure, discovered in the late 1950s on an island in the Shetlands. From the latter part of the 8th century. National Museum of Scotland.

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Belt buckle made of bronze; in the shape of a rider horseback. Unearthed at the Treli cemetery , Georgia, & dated to the 13th c. BCE ca. It's considered of the earliest examples of the theme in the area. National Museum of Georgia, Tbilisi, GNM 11-1:73-21

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Belt buckle made of bronze; in the shape of a rider horseback. Unearthed at the Treli cemetery , Georgia, & dated to the 13th c. BCE ca. It's considered of the earliest examples of the theme in the area. National Museum of Georgia, Tbilisi, GNM 11-1:73-21

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Face of Slonk Hill Man an Iron Age hunk who lived between 2,400 and 2,200 years ago. He was found in 1968 not too far from Brighton, by the Holmbush Shopping Centre. Image credit: Royal Pavilion & Museums; Brighton & Hove

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Face of Slonk Hill Man an Iron Age hunk who lived between 2,400 and 2,200 years ago. He was found in 1968 not too far from Brighton, by the Holmbush Shopping Centre. Image credit: Royal Pavilion & Museums; Brighton & Hove

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A trepanned neolithic skull of a woman that had a prosthetic ear made from seashell attached, found at Roque d'Aille in France and dates from 3000-2000 BCE. The skull shows evidence the woman had survived the "open brain" operation and gone on to live for many years

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A trepanned neolithic skull of a woman that had a prosthetic ear made from seashell attached, found at Roque d'Aille in France and dates from 3000-2000 BCE. The skull shows evidence the woman had survived the "open brain" operation and gone on to live for many years

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The 4000-year-old skeletons of an adult who was trying to shield a child from a massive earthquake that struck China in 2000 BCE and triggered massive floods, in an event that is sometimes referred to as ‘China’s Pompeii’. Now located at the Lajia Ruins Museum in northwest China

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The 4000-year-old skeletons of an adult who was trying to shield a child from a massive earthquake that struck China in 2000 BCE and triggered massive floods, in an event that is sometimes referred to as ‘China’s Pompeii’. Now located at the Lajia Ruins Museum in northwest China

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An ancient bronze griffin head dating back to the 7th century BC, has been repatriated to Greece from US after it was stolen nearly a century ago, marking the latest repatriation in a broader shift of the museum world to return stolen artifacts to their places of origin.

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An ancient bronze griffin head dating back to the 7th century BC, has been repatriated to Greece from US after it was stolen nearly a century ago, marking the latest repatriation in a broader shift of the museum world to return stolen artifacts to their places of origin.

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For the first time in 200 years, the Parthenon’s exterior is completely free of scaffolding on all sides. It’s also the first time in 20 years that the western side has been scaffold-free. At least six generations have never seen the Parthenon unobstructed.

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For the first time in 200 years, the Parthenon’s exterior is completely free of scaffolding on all sides. It’s also the first time in 20 years that the western side has been scaffold-free. At least six generations have never seen the Parthenon unobstructed.

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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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