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Khmer Empire
The Khmer empire was a powerful state in South East Asia, formed by people of the same name, lasting from 802 CE to 1431 CE. At its peak, the empire covered much of what today is Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and southern Vietnam. By the 7th...
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Samurai Swords
Two steel-bladed Japanese samurai swords: the longer katana and shorter wakizashi. 18-19th century CE. (Los Angeles County Museum of Art)
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Plague in an Ancient City
"Plague in an Ancient City" by Michiel Sweerts (1618-1664 CE) is believed to depict the Plague of Athens (430-427 BCE). Oil on canvas. Painted c. 1652-1654 CE. 118.7 cm (46.7 in) x 170.8 cm (67.2 in). (Courtesy of Los Angeles County Museum...
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Sushruta Samhita
The Sushruta Samhita (Sushruta's Compendium) is considered the oldest text in the world on plastic surgery and is highly regarded as one of the Great Trilogy of Ayurvedic Medicine. This copy is located in the Los Angeles County Museum of...
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Cuneiform Tablet, Assyria
A clay tablet with cuneiform from an Assyrian trading post, c. 1875-1840 BCE. (Los Angeles County Museum of Art, L.A.).
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Place du Théâtre Français by Pissarro
An 1898 oil on canvas, Place du Théâtre Français, by Camille Pissarro (1830-1903), the Danish-French impressionist painter. The artist painted many scenes of Paris in this later stage of his career. Many, as here, lack a horizon or well-defined...
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Daily Life in Ancient China
Daily life in ancient China changed through the centuries but reflected the values of the presence of gods and one's ancestors in almost every time period. Villages like Banpo show evidence of a matriarchal society, where there was a priestly...
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The Forty-Two Judges
The Forty-Two Judges were divine entities associated with the afterlife in ancient Egypt and, specifically, the judgment of the soul in the Hall of Truth. The soul would recite the Negative Confession in their presence as well as other gods...
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The Cotton Pickers by Winslow Homer
"The Cotton Pickers" by Winslow Homer (1836 – 1910 CE). The painting depicts two African-American women labouring in the cotton fields. A major theme of the painting is the continuing racial and economic inequality that existed after the...
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Triumph of Titus
A reconstructed relief panel from the original on the Arch of Titus, Rome, c. 81 CE. The scene, showing the triumph of Titus, is carved in three-quarter view and has Titus riding a four-horse chariot (quadriga) and shows him being crowned...