Search Results: Pretty things

Swords used by Japanese samurai were renowned for the craftsmanship which produced strong yet flexible curved steel blades with a single, super-sharp cutting edge. Produced from the 8th century CE onwards and symbolic of the samurai's elevated...

Ryujin (aka Ryu-o) is the dragon king, sea god, and master of serpents in Japanese mythology. With his magic jewels he is responsible for the tides, and he represents both the perils and bounty of the sea and so was especially relevant to...

The Kojiki ('Record of Ancient Things') is the oldest book of Japanese history and the oldest text of any kind from Japan. Compiled in 712 CE by the court scholar Ono Yasumaro, the work begins with the gods and the creation of the world...

Kagutsuchi (aka Hi-no-Kagutsuchi) is the Shinto god or kami of fire and is also known as Homusubi. The son of Izanami and Izanagi, the fire god is the father of eight warrior gods and eight mountain gods, amongst others. Such a destructive...

Red Cloud (Makhpiya-luta, l. 1822-1909) was an Oglala Lakota Sioux chief, statesman, and military strategist who became the only Native American leader of the Plains Indians to win a war against the United States. Red Cloud's War (1866-1868...

The diet of the Mongols was greatly influenced by their nomadic way of life with dairy products and meat from their herds of sheep, goats, oxen, camels, and yaks dominating. Fruit, vegetables, herbs, and wild game were added thanks to foraging...

This is one of just 4 complete helmets to survive from Anglo-Saxon England. It has been painstakingly reconstructed from the shattered condition in which it was found. The Sutton Hoo Helmet's exceptional survival and haunting appearance have...

The burial chamber at Sutton Hoo contained 6 spearheads of different shapes and 3 angons (barbed lances), all of iron. Spears are the most common weapons found in Anglo-Saxon graves, but the number and variety here are unparalleled. The rare...

This is the most elaborate shield to survive from Anglo-Saxon England. The metal rim and gilded copper alloy, gold and garnet fittings are unusual. The central iron boss protected the user's hand, while mounts depicting a bird of prey and...

This Byzantine silver platter is one of the largest to survive from the Byzantine Period. It measures almost 72 centimeters across and weighs 6.5 kilograms. The back is stamped with the control marks of Emperor Anastasius I, who reigned in...