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Francisco Pizarro
Francisco Pizarro (c. 1478-1541) was a conquistador who led the Spanish conquest of the Inca civilization from 1532. With only a small group of men, Pizarro took advantage of his superior weapons and the fact that the Incas were weakened...
Definition
Conquistador
The conquistadors, meaning "conquerors", were Iberian military adventurers who operated as the vanguard of empires in the 15th and 16th centuries by exploring areas of the world unknown to Europeans, defeating indigenous armies, and then...
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Rock Paintings of the Sierra de San Francisco (UNESCO/NHK)
From c. 100 B.C. to A.D. 1300, the Sierra de San Francisco, Mexico (in the El Vizcaino reserve, in Baja California) was home to a people who have now disappeared but who left one of the most outstanding collections of rock paintings in the...
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Daniel Villanueva and Stratigraphy
A graduate of San Francisco State University, Daniel's archaeological expertise is on the pre- and proto-historic periods of San Francisco. His Masters thesis was on the pre-histoy and history of Lake Merced, and the foundation of the Past...
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Bronze Ritual Vessel in the Shape of a Rhinoceros
This bronze ritual vessel dates to 1100 – 1050 BCE (Shang Dynasty period). Unearthed in Liangshan, Shandong, the vessel, likely used to hold wine or food, is notable for its differences from other bronze ritual vessels of its time. Few...
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Buddha Amityaus
The Buddha Amityaus; possibly Chengde (Jehol), China; Qing dynasty, reign of the Qianlong Emperor (1736–1795 CE); hollow dry lacquer; 40 x 27 x 18 in. (101.6 x 68.6 x 45.7 cm); Asian Art Museum of San Francisco; The Avery Brundage Collection...
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Olmec Colossal Head
A basalt colossal head from the Olmec civilization of Mesoamerica. Provenance: Veracruz, Mexico, 1200-900 BCE. The significance of the heads is disputed but as no two heads are alike and each headdress has distinctive designs they may represent...
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Gandhara Bodhisattva
Bodhisattva Maitreya Kushan period 2nd-3rd century CE from the ancient region of Gandhara, India/Afghanistan. (Asian Art Museum, San Francisco).
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Blue Venice by Manet
An 1875 oil on canvas painting, Blue Venice, by Edouard Manet (1832-83), the French modernist painter. Manet visited Venice in 1875 and produced some of his most impressionistic paintings. Apparently, Manet postponed his departure from the...
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Manuel de Godoy
Manuel de Godoy (1767-1851), the "Prince of Peace", was First Minister of Spain during the reign of King Charles VI of Spain. Corrupt and extravagant, Godoy was hated by the Spanish nobility and commoners alike, and his tenure helped lead...