Nike Figurine (c. 300-200 BCE)
This Nike figurine presents the Greek goddess of victory in a form that is both graceful and slightly unusual. She appears as a winged nude figure with the body of an ephebe.
Tag Ceremonial & Religious
Bronze Poppy Capsule (c.100-300 BCE)
A small bronze poppy capsule becomes unexpectedly vivid through its inscription, which preserves the name of the woman who dedicated it: Nikasimacha.
Black-Figure Vessel for Incense (c.600-400 BCE)
This small black-figure incense vessel opens onto a world in which religion was experienced through smoke, fragrance, and image as much as through words or gesture.
The Omphalos of Delphi (19th-20th century CE)
This Omphalos stands at the center of the earth, the point where Zeus marked the world’s navel and where Apollo’s oracle gave voice to divine knowledge.
Grave Stele (c. 50 BCE)
This marble grave stele from southern Anatolia stands as an example of Hellenistic funerary art, combining architectural form, figural narrative, inscription, and symbolic imagery into a single, highly sophisticated monument.
Miniature Votive Stupa (435 CE)
This votive stupa carved in steatite and densely inscribed with sacred text and imagery, it encapsulates key aspects of early Chinese Buddhism: devotion, cosmology, and the transmission of religious ideas along the Silk Road.
Horn of Saint Blaise (1100–1200 CE)
This exquisite horn, dating back to the 12th century, showcases intricate carvings that blend cultural influences from across the Mediterranean, inviting us to explore a world of historical fusion where Arab craftsmanship met Christian relic veneration.
Portable Altar of Countess Gertrude (c. 1045 CE)
The portable altar was commissioned by Countess Gertrude of Brunswick, a member of the powerful Guelph dynasty, one of the most influential noble families in the medieval Holy Roman Empire.
Arm Reliquary of the Apostles (c. 1190 CE)
Shaped like a clothed human forearm with an outstretched right hand in a gesture of blessing, this reliquary was designed to house a sacred relic—in this case, a portion of an unidentified saint’s arm bone.
Vase with Trophy-Heads (c. 450–600 CE)
The imagery on the vase reflects a key aspect of Nasca religious and social life: the practice of headhunting, which was not random violence but a deeply symbolic act tied to fertility, death, and the renewal of life.
Bidri Basin (c. 1650 CE)
The Bidri Basin, dating to around 1650 from Bidar in Karnataka, southwestern India, stands as a magnificent example of Bidriware, a renowned and distinctive metalcraft tradition from the Deccan region.
Portable Icon of Shakyamuni (c.1181-1218 CE)
The sculpture illustrates the bhūmisparśa mudrā, the “earth-touching gesture,” one of the most important hand gestures in Buddhist art. It symbolizes unshakable resolve, truth, and the moment of awakening, portraied by Shakyamuni.
Portrait of Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo (1200s CE)
Although modest in size, the sculpture of Phagmo Drupa immediately commands attention through its rich materials, intricate inlay, and the serene, authoritative presence of the lama, who is depicted in a Buddha-like posture that underscores his spiritual attainment.
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.
Double-Sided Votive Relief (305-30 BCE)
This small double-sided votive relief, also known as a sculptor's trial piece or model, is a finely carved limestone flake (ostracon) from ancient Egypt during the Ptolemaic dynasty (305–30 BCE).