Thangkas are a traditional form of painting associated with Vajrayana Buddhism that is practiced throughout the Himalayan region. In addition to their visual aesthetics, they support meditation, teaching, and ritual practice. Their structures guide attention, regulate perception, and support practices that unfold over time. Historically, […]
The Roman Republic first adopted coinage to trade and pay mercenaries around the time of the First Punic War (264-241 BCE). During the Second Punic War (218-201 BCE), Rome adopted a system that would endure for centuries, based on the silver denarius and the bronze […]
This kina shell necklace comes from the Engan peoples living in Kond Village in the Kandep District of Enga Province in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. Based on information given to the collector, it is likely more than 140 years old. The term kina […]
This Maasai shield is from Kenya and dates to the early 20th century. The Maasai are a cultural group of semi-nomadic pastoralists with a population of approximately one million people living primarily in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. This type of shield, known as elongo, […]
This type of Aboriginal Australian bowl in the shape of an elongated oval is known as a coolamon. Coolamons are made from hard wood trees where a strip of the outer bark is removed and then molded over a fire to create the curved sides. […]
This Chinese hanging scroll contains two remounted album leaves with watercolor paintings of locust tree branches by well-known Qing Dynasty artist Ju Lian (1828-1904). The top (left) painting is dated 1876, and the inscription reads “Painted in the manner of Xinluo shanren, I inscribe this for […]