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Bas-relief from the Maya Temple of the Cross in Palenque, Mexico, showing a ritual performed by K’inich Kan B’ahlam on his enthronement day , honoring the god GI, with his deceased father K’inich Pakal I; between them stands the World Tree, most likely a Ceiba

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Bas-relief from the Maya Temple of the Cross in Palenque, Mexico, showing a ritual performed by K’inich Kan B’ahlam on his enthronement day , honoring the god GI, with his deceased father K’inich Pakal I; between them stands the World Tree, most likely a Ceiba

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Marble funerary altar of a child named Anthus- The altar was set up by his father, Lucius Iulius Gamus. The deceased is referred to as, “his sweetest son" and a personal touch is given to the relief by showing Anthus with his pet dog.

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Marble funerary altar of a child named Anthus- The altar was set up by his father, Lucius Iulius Gamus. The deceased is referred to as, “his sweetest son" and a personal touch is given to the relief by showing Anthus with his pet dog.

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A Maya vase showing the Maze God in full regalia, with an inscription that says it was made for Lord K’ak-Til of Naranjo in Guatemala, to hold fresh cacao beans. Found in Belize in a young man’s grave, it was likely a memorial gift to Buenavista’s ruler for his deceased son

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A Maya vase showing the Maze God in full regalia, with an inscription that says it was made for Lord K’ak-Til of Naranjo in Guatemala, to hold fresh cacao beans. Found in Belize in a young man’s grave, it was likely a memorial gift to Buenavista’s ruler for his deceased son

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A relief from Kom Ombo Temple depicting the Ancient Egyptian calendar, a 365-day solar calendar divided into 3 seasons , with four 30-day months per season, followed by 5 extra days, also known as the "birthdays of the gods", at the end of the year

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A relief from Kom Ombo Temple depicting the Ancient Egyptian calendar, a 365-day solar calendar divided into 3 seasons , with four 30-day months per season, followed by 5 extra days, also known as the "birthdays of the gods", at the end of the year

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Relief on a Roman tombstone showing a scene from the work of the deceased, who was a butcher. The man is at work, pieces of meat are hanging in front of him, and the wife is writing something on a wax tablet. The woman has a hairstyle typical of the reign of Emperor Hadrian .

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Relief on a Roman tombstone showing a scene from the work of the deceased, who was a butcher. The man is at work, pieces of meat are hanging in front of him, and the wife is writing something on a wax tablet. The woman has a hairstyle typical of the reign of Emperor Hadrian .

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Skeleton of Hatch dog on board the Mary Rose responsible for catching rats. According to DNA performed on his teeth, he was a young adult male, between 18–24 months, with a light brown-dark brown coat. He may have spent his entire life on-board the Mary Rose, rarely if ever going ashore

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Skeleton of Hatch dog on board the Mary Rose responsible for catching rats. According to DNA performed on his teeth, he was a young adult male, between 18–24 months, with a light brown-dark brown coat. He may have spent his entire life on-board the Mary Rose, rarely if ever going ashore

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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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Mummy of the pharaoh Seqenenre Tao, 1553 BCE. From the wounds in his head, and his deformed hands that imply that he was possibly imprisoned with his hands tied, the most likely cause of death is execution at the hands of the Hyksos, following a Theban defeat on the battlefield

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Mummy of the pharaoh Seqenenre Tao, 1553 BCE. From the wounds in his head, and his deformed hands that imply that he was possibly imprisoned with his hands tied, the most likely cause of death is execution at the hands of the Hyksos, following a Theban defeat on the battlefield

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This bird skeleton adorned with gold was part of Offering no. 179 found at the Aztec Templo Mayor, and dates from the reign of emperor Ahuitzotl . Now housed at the Museo del Templo Mayor in Mexico City

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This bird skeleton adorned with gold was part of Offering no. 179 found at the Aztec Templo Mayor, and dates from the reign of emperor Ahuitzotl . Now housed at the Museo del Templo Mayor in Mexico City

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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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This large relief sculpture of a crouching feline was carved by Nopiloa artist from an irregular boulder of volcanic stone. It most likely depicts one of the 2 largest predators in the Americas, either a jaguar or a puma. From Mexico, 600–1000 CE, now housed at the Metropolitan Museum

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This large relief sculpture of a crouching feline was carved by Nopiloa artist from an irregular boulder of volcanic stone. It most likely depicts one of the 2 largest predators in the Americas, either a jaguar or a puma. From Mexico, 600–1000 CE, now housed at the Metropolitan Museum

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Roman Mosaic showing a victorious boxer. The winner’s palm branch is held in his mouth, and his defeated opponent crouches beside him. The boxers appear to be people of short stature, commonly hired by Romans to perform and compete for their entertainment. 1stC-2ndC

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Roman Mosaic showing a victorious boxer. The winner’s palm branch is held in his mouth, and his defeated opponent crouches beside him. The boxers appear to be people of short stature, commonly hired by Romans to perform and compete for their entertainment. 1stC-2ndC

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Chateau de Chenonceau, with its gallery spanning the River Cher, is the most peculiar and probably most beautiful castle in the Loire, in France. It was rebuilt, furnished, and transformed between 1514 and '76 by women of different temperaments, and is known as the Ladies' Castle...

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Chateau de Chenonceau, with its gallery spanning the River Cher, is the most peculiar and probably most beautiful castle in the Loire, in France. It was rebuilt, furnished, and transformed between 1514 and '76 by women of different temperaments, and is known as the Ladies' Castle...

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Lintel 25 , Maya bas-relief carved in limestone during the reign of king Itzamnaaj B'alam II, , Yaxchilan, Mexico, c. 770 CE. It shows Lady Xook during a bloodletting ritual in which she has invoked the vision of a Teotihuacan serpent…

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Lintel 25 , Maya bas-relief carved in limestone during the reign of king Itzamnaaj B'alam II, , Yaxchilan, Mexico, c. 770 CE. It shows Lady Xook during a bloodletting ritual in which she has invoked the vision of a Teotihuacan serpent…

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The Treasure Foot of Basel Cathedral, dating to 1450, is an extraordinary reliquary crafted from silver, copper, gold, pearl, enamel, precious stones, and glass. It contains the bones of a child’s foot, traditionally associated with the massacre in Bethlehem ordered by King Herod.

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The Treasure Foot of Basel Cathedral, dating to 1450, is an extraordinary reliquary crafted from silver, copper, gold, pearl, enamel, precious stones, and glass. It contains the bones of a child’s foot, traditionally associated with the massacre in Bethlehem ordered by King Herod.

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1st Century A.D. fresco from Pompeii showing Iapyx removing an arrowhead from the leg of Aenas, with Aenas's son Iulus Ascanius crying beside his father. At left, Aeneas' mother, the goddess Venus.

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1st Century A.D. fresco from Pompeii showing Iapyx removing an arrowhead from the leg of Aenas, with Aenas's son Iulus Ascanius crying beside his father. At left, Aeneas' mother, the goddess Venus.

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1133. Coronation mantle of the Holy Roman Emperor Friedrich II in Red silk embroidered in gold; gold filigree, enamel, precious stones, and pearls, showing a lion's battle with a camel, Kunsthistorische Museum, Vienna.

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1133. Coronation mantle of the Holy Roman Emperor Friedrich II in Red silk embroidered in gold; gold filigree, enamel, precious stones, and pearls, showing a lion's battle with a camel, Kunsthistorische Museum, Vienna.

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This incense burner, depicts one of the Palenque Triad of deities that the Maya called Kinich Ajaw, or "Sun Lord." He is shown here with his trademark nose, and shell and fish symbols around his mouth. The stacking of faces is a hallmark of incense burners from Palenque. 600-900. Walters

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This incense burner, depicts one of the Palenque Triad of deities that the Maya called Kinich Ajaw, or "Sun Lord." He is shown here with his trademark nose, and shell and fish symbols around his mouth. The stacking of faces is a hallmark of incense burners from Palenque. 600-900. Walters

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A well-preserved Sassanid relief at Taq-e Bostan of Iran , showing Ardashir II receiving the diadem from Shapur II during his coronation, with Mithra standing to the left and the Roman emperor Julian under their feet.

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A well-preserved Sassanid relief at Taq-e Bostan of Iran , showing Ardashir II receiving the diadem from Shapur II during his coronation, with Mithra standing to the left and the Roman emperor Julian under their feet.

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Mayan teeth dating to the 1st millennium. A wide variety of gems have been found in teeth from burial sites: jadeite, iron pyrites, hematite, turquoise, quartz, serpentine, and cinnabar. The cement the Maya used was a complex mixture that most likely also had medicinal benefits

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Mayan teeth dating to the 1st millennium. A wide variety of gems have been found in teeth from burial sites: jadeite, iron pyrites, hematite, turquoise, quartz, serpentine, and cinnabar. The cement the Maya used was a complex mixture that most likely also had medicinal benefits

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