The Ancient World
Discover how art shaped ancient civilizations across the world through c. 500 CE
From the art of ancient Egypt and Nubia, to early China, Imperial Rome, and the Andes, the art of the ancient world still resonates today
Why it Matters Today
The ancient world influences modern design and popular culture, inspires religious and mythological storytelling, informs archaeological science, and connects us to shared human questions: identity, power, death, beauty, and memory.
Ancient China
From Shang bronze vessels to Han dynasty tombs, ancient Chinese art blends ancestor worship, ritual practices, and power in objects of bronze, jade, silk, and lacquer.
Ancient Japan
Early Japanese art, from Jōmon pottery to Kofun tomb sculptures, reflects ritual practices, social hierarchy, and connections across East Asia.
Early Imperial China
During the Qin and Han dynasties, art like the Terracotta Army, jade carvings, silk paintings, and tomb murals expressed imperial power and cosmic order.
Ancient Europe
Celtic metalwork, Greek temples, and Roman engineering are only some of the influences that shaped the diverse art of ancient Europe.
Ancient Egypt and Nubia
The art of ancient Egypt and Nubia includes pyramids, temples, and funerary art that reveal religious beliefs and political power.
Ancient South Asia
Stupas, carved pillars, and early temple art reveal South Asia’s innovations in religion, philosophy, and storytelling through Buddhist and Hindu traditions.
Ancient Andes
The Ancient Andes, from Chavín and Paracas to Nazca and Moche, produced textiles, ceramics, metalwork, and monumental architecture that reveal religious traditions and hierarchies.
Ancient West Asia
From ziggurats to cylinder seals, Mesopotamian art shows how the world’s first cities used architecture, sculpture, and writing to celebrate gods and kings.
Early Mesoamerica
Olmec heads, Maya temples, and Zapotec tombs show how civilizations in Mesoamerica created powerful works of art tied to ancestors, rulers, agriculture, and astronomy.
Discover Important Individuals
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![Han dynasty silk funerary banner from Lady Dai’s tomb]()
Lady Dai
A Marchioness of a small territory in China during the Han dynasty
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![image of horse against a pole]()
Marcus Aurelius
Roman Emperor
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![Terracotta warrior figures from the tomb of Qin Shi Huangdi, the first emperor of China]()
Qin Shi Huangdi
The first Emperor of China
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![A flat carved bone showing pictographic symbols on it]()
King Wu Ding
A Shang dynasty ruler
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![Ashokan pillar with lion capital from India, symbol of Buddhist patronage and imperial authority]()
Emperor Ashoka
Emperor of the Mauryan Empire in South Asia and Patron of Buddhism
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![The Buddha is surrounded by other figures on this stone relief sculpture from Gandhara]()
Siddartha Gautama
Founder of Buddhism
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![Vessels and other offerings in Fu Hao's tomb at Anyang, Shang dynasty China]()
Fu Hao
Shang dynasty military general and queen
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![Maya jade death mask of Pakal the Great from Palenque, showing him as a youth]()
Pakal the Great of Palenque
The famous ancient Maya ruler from the city-state of Palenque
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