The Offering Table of Defdji (2305–2118 BCE)
The Offering Table of Defdji is an exceptional example of how the ancient Egyptians sought to sustain life beyond death.
Region Africa
Plaster Cast Bust of Nefertiti (1920s CE)
This is no ordinary bust. It is a 20th-century plaster cast of one of the most famous faces in the world—the Egyptian queen Nefertiti, whose original sculpture was unearthed from the sands of Amarna in 1912.
Pyramidion of Ptahemwia (c.1325 BCE)
A miniature limestone pyramid, roughly the size of a large breadbox, that once crowned a private tomb at Saqqara. Carved around 1325 BCE, the Pyramidion of Ptahemwia was the finishing touch on a mud-brick pyramid.
Alexander the Great Bust (300–150 BCE)
This marble portrait head captures Alexander the Great not as a battle-hardened warrior, but as a youthful, almost divine presence. The sculpture invites us into the world of Hellenistic idealism.
Bedouins Rest Near the Pyramids of Giza (1890s CE)
The image invites the viewer to reflect on contrasts: movement and permanence of the Bedouins, desert survival and ancient stone marvels and everyday life unfolding beside timeless monuments at Giza.
Boy Playing the Mijwiz (1890s CE)
This striking photograph captures a young boy of Bedouin origin, holding a bagpipe instrument (Mijwiz), immediately drawing the viewer into a rich cultural and musical landscape.
Bedouin Men Smoking (1890s CE)
The image does not merely portray daily life—it captures a ritual of shared smoking, conversation, and hospitality that structured social interaction in Bedouin society.
Bedouin Man With Sword (1890s CE)
The image does not merely show an individual; it presents an ideal of identity—an embodiment of youth, honor, and cultural continuity at a pivotal moment between adolescence and adulthood in Bedouin culture.
An Elderly Bedouin Man (1890s CE)
This late nineteenth-century photograph portrays an elderly Bedouin man seated in dignified composure, dressed in traditional desert garments and marked by the presence of age, experience, and authority.
Wedding Sword Dance (1890s CE)
Performed at weddings and joyous occasions, this ancient Bedouin ritual captivates onlookers by blending martial prowess with cultural poetry, evoking the vast Arabian deserts' spirit of unity and bravery.
Egyptian Mummy Seller (1875 CE)
Depicting an egyptian street vendor surrounded by mummified bodies and artifacts for sale, this image evokes the era's fascination with Egyptomania, blending curiosity, exploitation, and a disregard for cultural heritage.
A Bedouin Young Woman (1890s CE)
Taken during the late 19th or early 20th century, it offers a poignant glimpse into the nomadic life of Bedouin desert-dwellers at a pivotal moment of transition, as modern influences began to reshape their ancient way of existence.
Carved Tooth (Late 1800s CE)
Wrapping around the surface of the carved tooth, human figures, animals, and patterned motifs unfold like a visual story, inviting close inspection and rewarding the attentive eye with layers of meaning about trade, encounter, and cultural change in Central Africa.
Nursing Woman with Child (1800s-1900s CE)
A nursing woman bends toward her child, offering nourishment and protection. Yet beneath this seemingly simple motif lies a dense network of ideas about ancestry, knowledge, and what it means to become fully human within Senufo society in West Africa.
Ceremonial Chair or Throne (1800s CE)
This elaborate wooden chairserved as a powerful symbol of authority for Chokwe supreme chiefs. What makes this particular example especially remarkable is its extraordinary decoration: over 40 intricately carved figures arranged in complex scenes.