This ceramic roof ornament in the form of a church is from the small town of Quinua in central Peru. Quinua is known for its pottery, with ceramics providing the largest source of income for approximately one quarter of the population today. At the time […]
This bone dagger is from Kuttim Village in the East Sepik Province of Papua New Guinea. At just under 11.5” long, it is on the small side, with most bone daggers ranging from 13” to 16” long. For many groups in Papua New Guinea, bone […]
These playing cards, called hanafuda, are from Japan. The Portuguese first introduced playing cards to Japan in the mid-16th century. However, European cards were banned along with many other foreign goods in 1633, leading to the development of unique Japanese cards. The cards went through […]
This hat is from the Kuba people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. After the completion of initiation rites, many Kuba men wear a simple cap on the crown of their head known as a laket. Lakets are woven from raffia fiber in a […]
Chupícuaro is a late Pre-Classic archaeological culture located in west central Mexico. It is best known for its bold polychrome ceramics like this tripod bowl, which dates to between 300 BCE and 400 CE. Chupícuaro pieces take a variety of forms including hollow figures, jars, […]
Although we do not know its specific place of origin, this oil lamp is a typical product of the Late Antique eastern Mediterranean or Middle East. It dates to between the 4th and 7th century CE. It is about four inches long and would easily […]