
A History of the World in 100 Objects

A PreColumbian Portfolio: An Archive of Photographs

American Centuries

An Abassid Caliph Drinking Wine, Presented by His Wine Steward
This image shows customs of the Abassid caliphs of Soutwestern Asia which included drinking wine. This would have been a part of their culture when Muslims explored other parts of the Asia and parts of Africa in this period.

Army of Jugs
This color drawing, produced in 1793 at the request of the Committee of Public Safety and then published as an engraving, caricatures the British army and its king, George III, as incompetent, who, despite fine uniforms, cannot defeat shoddily clad, yet energetic sans–culottes (on the left), who humiliate the British by defecating on the advancing troops. The British vainly try to respond with... Read More »

Australian Periodical Publications Project, 1840–1845

Babylonia Collection Yale

Biblioteca Digital Hispánica (Hispanic Digital Library)

Buddha Sheltered by a Naga
This sculpture is of the serpent king Muchilinda protecting Buddha, popular in the 12th century Khmer Kingdom. Images like this were sponsored by King Jayavarman VII, who was the first Buddhist king after a long line of Hindu rulers. He identified himself as a Buddharaja (Buddha-King) rather than as a Devaraja (God-King) Small bronze statues would have been seen by Chinese merchants in... Read More »
