This is a lovely, boldly-colored tripod bowl produced by the Nayarit culture of ancient western Mexico. The cultures of Pre-Columbian west Mexico never built the massive archaeological structures of their eastern neighbors, but their ceramic tradition rivals anything contemporary in the Americas. Like many tripod bowls, this one originally would have had small pebbles or bits of clay in the legs so that it would rattle when shaken.
...click for details
The lotus flower was a popular symbol of rebirth and resurrection in ancient Egypt. The lotus is an aquatic plant, and its flower closes and sinks underwater at night. In the morning, it re-emerges above the surface and opens again. Consequently, the lotus symbol became richly associated with the sun, resurrection, and birth themes. In later Egyptian mythology, the lotus became associated with Osiris, and the four sons of Horus are frequently depicted standing on a lotus in front of Osiris.
...click for details
This figure belongs to a group of solid, hand-sculpted figures from the Remojadas region of Pre-Columbian Veracruz, Mexico. Although it is difficult to say for sure in the absence of the full figure, the elaborate serpent headdress suggests the figure was originally a ceremonial dancer representing a warrior. Note the use of bitumen, a thick tar-like form of petroleum, that was used to highlight details like the dancer's mouth and the serpent's eyes.
...click for details
Although Pre-Columbian Costa Rica is best known for gold and jade, the Atlantic Highlands region in particular has a long history of carving substantial statues from the volcanic rock that is common in the region. This example depicts a kneeling figure making a large, box-shaped offering. Little is known about the particular cultures that inhabited the area; as many as 25 distinct cultural groups developed in Costa Rica with their own unique characteristics. However, the widespread practice of c ...click for details
This nice display piece is from a type of Pre-Columbian figure commonly known as "sonrientes" (smiling figures). They were produced by a Classic-period culture in what is today the central and northern portions of the Mexican state of Veracruz. Most sonriente figures were produced at Remojadas, an important ceramic center for the Veracruz culture.
Although these seemingly benign smiling figures have been f ...click for details
Bes was a protective deity without temples and formal centers of worship, but the archaeological record indicates that he was extremely popular in the later Dynastic Period. Amulets of Bes were worn in life, especially by women and children, and he was thought to play an important role in protecting mother and child during birth. Imagery of Bes is unusual for Egyptian art because he is almost invariably portrayed head-on, facing the viewer rather than in profile. This rendering emphasizes his fe ...click for details
In later Egyptian mythology, the jackal-headed deity Anubis was identified as the god of embalming, the process of preparing a body for mummification. Ancient Egyptians believed that preserving the body was critical to ensuring an afterlife for the deceased; Anubis was responsible for protecting the body and ensuring that the mummification process preserved it so that the spirit would have a functional body to use in the afterlife. According to later legend, Anubis was the son of Osiris and Neph ...click for details
Beginning in the Middle Kingdom, the ancient Egyptians were buried with small human statues called shabtis. These figures were to serve as servants in the afterlife, performing any work necessary so that the deceased could enjoy eternity in peace. This was accomplished by inscribing Chapter 6 of the Book of the Dead on the shabti, which reads: "O shabti, if the deceased is called upon to do any of the work required there in the necropolis at any time...you shall say, 'Here I am, I will ...click for details
Beginning in the Middle Kingdom, the ancient Egyptians were buried with small human statues called shabtis. These figures were to serve as servants in the afterlife, performing any work necessary so that the deceased could enjoy eternity in peace. This was accomplished by inscribing Chapter 6 of the Book of the Dead on the shabti, which reads: "O shabti, if the deceased is called upon to do any of the work required there in the necropolis at any time...you shall say, 'Here I am, I will ...click for details
Beginning in the Middle Kingdom, the ancient Egyptians were buried with small human statues called shabtis. These figures were to serve as servants in the afterlife, performing any work necessary so that the deceased could enjoy eternity in peace. This was accomplished by inscribing Chapter 6 of the Book of the Dead on the shabti, which reads: "O shabti, if the deceased is called upon to do any of the work required there in the necropolis at any time...you shall say, 'Here I am, I will ...click for details
