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The Londesborough Brooch, Irish, 8th-9th century. The Londesborough brooch is unusual in that all its fine decoration is cast and no filigree was used. The brooch is a heavy silver ring cast with complex patterns of interlace, spirals, animal and bird motifs and then thickly gilded on the front. Seven circular amber settings on the hoop compliment the gold. The pin was made from three pieces and the head is decorated in a style to match the hoop, with a large domed boss and amber at its centre. Two L-shaped fields at the top corners once held blue glass. The back of the brooch is also decorated with amber and has as well two inset gilt-bronze discs with Celtic triskeles. M&ME, 1888,7-19,101
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The Londesborough Brooch, Irish, 8th-9th century. The Londesborough brooch is un...

Stone relief from the Apadana (audience hall) at Persepolis, Achaemenid Persian, from Persepolis, south-west Iran, 6th-5th century BC. This broken relief from the Persian royal capital Persepolis depicts a row of so-called Susian guards. They are very similar to figures formed from moulded glazed bricks from the city of Susa. They may represent the 'immortals' who made up the king's personal bodyguard. Towards the end of the reign of the Persian king Cambyses a revolt broke out. On his way to deal with the problem, Cambyses was accidentally killed. The rebellion was eventually crushed by a group of seven conspirators and one of them, Darius, became the next king. He was keen to stress his legitimacy and founded Persepolis as a new royal centre. His successors Xerxes, Artaxerxes I and Artaxerxes III continued to build at Persepolis.The most important structures were built on a terrace of natural rock which rose above the surrounding plain. Remains of some fifteen major buildings survive, including the Apadana or audience hall. This relief comes from the north side of the east wing of the Apadana, where the figures decorated a staircase. The reliefs originally showed the enthroned Persian king in the centre, while towards him moved processions of tribute bearers representing twenty-three different subject peoples.Persepolis was destroyed by Alexander the Great in 330 BC. ANE, 118838
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Stone relief from the Apadana (audience hall) at Persepolis, Achaemenid Persian,...

Gold model chariot from the Oxus treasure, Achaemenid Persian, from the region of Takht-i Kuwad, Tadjikistan, 5th-4th century BC. This remarkable model is one of the most outstanding pieces in the Oxus treasure, which dates mainly from the 5th and 4th centuries BC, and is the most important surviving collection of gold and silver to have survived from the Achaemenid period. The model chariot is pulled by four horses or ponies. In it are two figures wearing Median dress. The Medes were from Iran, the centre of the Achaemenid empire. The front of the chariot is decorated with the Egyptian dwarf-god Bes, a popular protective deity. ANE, 123908
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Gold model chariot from the Oxus treasure, Achaemenid Persian, from the region o...

Clay jar with red-fired decoration, from Ban Chiang, north-eastern Thailand, 1st millennium BC. Neolithic cultures based on agriculture and the use of stone tools appeared throughout mainland South-east Asia between 4000 BC and 1000 BC. Bronze technology became widespread in the northern part during the second millennium BC and iron after 500 BC. Elaborately decorated pots such as this one were produced in the first millennium BC. A great variety of decorative motifs feature on this pottery including the red spiral patterns that densely cover the surface of this pot. These are similar to those found on contemporary pottery in southern China. OA, 1974.6-17.1.
#03070269

Clay jar with red-fired decoration, from Ban Chiang, north-eastern Thailand, 1st...

Grand Conventional Festival of the Britons, Stonehenge. From "The Costume of the Original Inhabitants of the British Islands" by Samuel Rush Meyrick and Charles Hamilton Smith. Etching; 1815.
#03080556

Grand Conventional Festival of the Britons, Stonehenge. From "The Costume of th...

Greek ceramic kantharos with black glaze. 4th century BCE. From a kurgan (tumulus) near Akimovka, Zaporizhia region, Ukraine.
#03080760

Greek ceramic kantharos with black glaze. 4th century BCE. From a kurgan (tumulu...

Perforated stone axe from the mound of Nanking. Excavated 1956 in Pei-Yin-Yang-Ying, Kiang-Sou, China. Seize: 15 cm
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Perforated stone axe from the mound of Nankin...

Fish spear and arrowhead (late 4th or 3rd millenium BCE). Excavated 1960 at Wu-Chiang, Kiang-Sou, China. Length: 16.5 cm
#060101 5

Fish spear and arrowhead (late 4th or 3rd milleni...

A whinnying horse. Head, bone figure from Mas d'Aril, Ariege, France. Magdalenian, early Middle Stone Age (Mesolithic). Length 4 cm
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A whinnying horse. Head, bone figure from Mas d'Aril, Ariege,...

Sitting man, called "The Thinker". Terracotta, from Cirna Woda, Romania. Neolithic,Polished stone age, end 4th mill.BCE Height 11.5 cm Inv. 15906
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Sitting man, called "The Thinker". Terracotta, from Cirna W...

Sitting woman. Terracotta, from Cirna Woda, Romania. Neolithic,Polished stone age, end 4th mill.BCE Height 11.5 cm Inv. 15907
#06010119

Sitting woman. Terracotta, from Cirna W...

Amber beads. Stone age
#06010144

Amber beads. Stone age