Explore the diverse breathtaking moments From urban streets to remote landscapes across the globe

This unique prehispanic Maya molar, exhibiting a greenish jadeite incrustation on its occlusal surface, is now housed at the Popol Vuh Museum in Guatemala. The inlay, which was embedded when the individual was alive, is firmly retained by a cementing material

ARTIFACT

This unique prehispanic Maya molar, exhibiting a greenish jadeite incrustation on its occlusal surface, is now housed at the Popol Vuh Museum in Guatemala. The inlay, which was embedded when the individual was alive, is firmly retained by a cementing material

ARTIFACT / Photography

The only one of its kind globally, this Greenlandic whaling suit, made before 1834, is a unique artifact. Hunters used it for waterproofing by crawling through the central opening and sealing it with sealskin. It's now at Denmark's National Museum

ARTIFACT

The only one of its kind globally, this Greenlandic whaling suit, made before 1834, is a unique artifact. Hunters used it for waterproofing by crawling through the central opening and sealing it with sealskin. It's now at Denmark's National Museum

ARTIFACT / Photography

An Etruscan parasol dating back to the 6th-5th century BCE, now housed at Tarquinia Archaeological Museum in Italy. Of the parasol, only the bone elements remain, while those made of perishable material, such as wood, fabric, or vegetable fibers, have been lost

ARTIFACT

An Etruscan parasol dating back to the 6th-5th century BCE, now housed at Tarquinia Archaeological Museum in Italy. Of the parasol, only the bone elements remain, while those made of perishable material, such as wood, fabric, or vegetable fibers, have been lost

ARTIFACT / Photography

A ceramic Maya vase with hunters and waterbirds. Probably from Guatemala, 600–900 CE, now housed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston

ARTIFACT

A ceramic Maya vase with hunters and waterbirds. Probably from Guatemala, 600–900 CE, now housed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston

ARTIFACT / Photography

A ceramic Maya vase from Guatemala, 600-800 CE, now housed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston

ARTIFACT

A ceramic Maya vase from Guatemala, 600-800 CE, now housed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston

ARTIFACT / Photography

One of the greatest works of Chinese art is the blue-green landscape painting titled "A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains" by Wang Ximeng. Wang made the painting in 1113 CE at the age of 18, using azurite and malachite colours. Now housed at the Palace Museum in Beijing

ARTIFACT

One of the greatest works of Chinese art is the blue-green landscape painting titled "A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains" by Wang Ximeng. Wang made the painting in 1113 CE at the age of 18, using azurite and malachite colours. Now housed at the Palace Museum in Beijing

ARTIFACT / Photography

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.

ARTIFACT

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.

ARTIFACT / Photography

This nephrite hei-tiki was given to Captain James Cook by Maori at Queen Charlotte Sound in South Island in 1769 during his first voyage to the Pacific. Now housed in the British Museum

ARTIFACT

This nephrite hei-tiki was given to Captain James Cook by Maori at Queen Charlotte Sound in South Island in 1769 during his first voyage to the Pacific. Now housed in the British Museum

ARTIFACT / Photography

The only taxidermied blue whale in the world, 1865 CE, now housed at the Natural History Museum in Sweden. The public was allowed to enter it up until a couple was found having sex inside it; now its jaws are opened only for special occasions like Swedish election days

ARTIFACT

The only taxidermied blue whale in the world, 1865 CE, now housed at the Natural History Museum in Sweden. The public was allowed to enter it up until a couple was found having sex inside it; now its jaws are opened only for special occasions like Swedish election days

ARTIFACT / Photography

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

ARTIFACT

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

ARTIFACT / Photography

A Maya trumpet made from conch shell and incised with hematite. From Peten in Guatemala, 4th–6th century CE, now housed at the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, Virginia

ARTIFACT

A Maya trumpet made from conch shell and incised with hematite. From Peten in Guatemala, 4th–6th century CE, now housed at the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, Virginia

ARTIFACT / Photography

Fayum portrait of a man in a blue cloak. The painting was made with the encaustic method on a wooden panel. The object comes from the 1st-2nd century CE and is located as an exhibit at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow .

ARTIFACT

Fayum portrait of a man in a blue cloak. The painting was made with the encaustic method on a wooden panel. The object comes from the 1st-2nd century CE and is located as an exhibit at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow .

ARTIFACT / Photography

Fayum portrait of a man in a blue cloak. The painting was made with the encaustic method on a wooden panel. The object comes from the 1st-2nd century CE and is located as an exhibit at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow .

ARTIFACT

Fayum portrait of a man in a blue cloak. The painting was made with the encaustic method on a wooden panel. The object comes from the 1st-2nd century CE and is located as an exhibit at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow .

ARTIFACT / Photography

Reliquary containing a thorn from the crown allegedly worn by Jesus at his crucifixion. This was part of the Holy Roman Emperor's Imperial Treasury by 1544. Now in the British Museum.

ARTIFACT

Reliquary containing a thorn from the crown allegedly worn by Jesus at his crucifixion. This was part of the Holy Roman Emperor's Imperial Treasury by 1544. Now in the British Museum.

ARTIFACT / Photography

The unique circular ritual monument at Sungai Batu, in Malaysia, an ancient city from a prehistoric Malaysian civilisation that may date back to as early as 788 BCE, which would make it one of the oldest in Southeast Asia

ARTIFACT

The unique circular ritual monument at Sungai Batu, in Malaysia, an ancient city from a prehistoric Malaysian civilisation that may date back to as early as 788 BCE, which would make it one of the oldest in Southeast Asia

ARTIFACT / Photography

"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

ARTIFACT

"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

ARTIFACT / Photography

A marble relief depicting the Serra, which is a Pontic Greek war dance of ancient Greek origin. Roman copy of the late republican era after a classic Greek model. Now housed at the Museo Pio-Clementino in the Vatican

ARTIFACT

A marble relief depicting the Serra, which is a Pontic Greek war dance of ancient Greek origin. Roman copy of the late republican era after a classic Greek model. Now housed at the Museo Pio-Clementino in the Vatican

ARTIFACT / Photography

For the first time, Greece, Iran and Egypt have issued a joint statement at the United Nations, calling on certain museums to repatriate all remaining "looted cultural property to their rightful owners."

ARTIFACT

For the first time, Greece, Iran and Egypt have issued a joint statement at the United Nations, calling on certain museums to repatriate all remaining "looted cultural property to their rightful owners."

ARTIFACT / Photography

A Maya mosaic mask, from Guatemala, made of wood, jadeite, resin and seashell. 200-600 CE, now part of the private collection of Sheikh Al Thani in Paris

ARTIFACT

A Maya mosaic mask, from Guatemala, made of wood, jadeite, resin and seashell. 200-600 CE, now part of the private collection of Sheikh Al Thani in Paris

ARTIFACT / Photography

This argillite Haida panel pipe may depict a real incident—an unfortunate sailor caught in the ship’s rigging and dragged to his death. C. 1830 CE, from British Columbia in Canada, now housed at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C.

ARTIFACT

This argillite Haida panel pipe may depict a real incident—an unfortunate sailor caught in the ship’s rigging and dragged to his death. C. 1830 CE, from British Columbia in Canada, now housed at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C.

ARTIFACT / Photography