we men are wretched things

isaac. he/him. archaeologist. historian.

[homerstroystory]

can't believe i have to make this post, but since bigots keep interacting with this blog: TERFs are not welcome here, nor are racists, misogynists, homophobes, anti-Semites, Islamaphobes, or any other people who hold hateful opinions. i know that the ancient Mediterranean and (for the most part) general history have been co-opted to spread hate, but i, as the owner of this blog and a professional archaeologist and historian, actively endeavor to make these fields more accepting and accessible. so fuck off.

[baebeylik]

“Lentoid sealstone with female figure holding triton shell in front of incurved altar with horns of consecration”. Late Minoan I period: 1600-1450 BCE.

Heraklion Archaeological Museum.

[mybeingthere]

Mantle, Peruvian, Paracas-Nasca, South CoastEarly, Intermediate Period, Phase 1AD 1-100, Peru, South Coast.

Design: rows of shaman figures with heads thrown back, worked solidly with wool.

Camelid fiber plain weave embroidered with camelid fiber in stem-stitch, 142 x 241 cm (55 7/8 x 94 7/8 in.)

https://collections.mfa.org/objects/36603

[theinternetarchive]

bronze statuette of a veiled and masked dancer, greek c. 300s-200s b.c.

[forked-tongue-blasphemer]

Isopod

British Library, Harley MS 3244, c. 1236-1250, folio 64r

[boop428-deactivated20260202]

Etruscan Wolf Head Helmet

6th Century BC

[letmeinimafairy]

A recent commission, back to the cave. Slowly started creating some kind of a story in cave paintings in my head, a continuation of the ammonite cave.

[theinternetarchive]

fan of mother-of-pearl, gold, and silk; open and extended: 21.5 x 37 x 1.8 cm; rené lalique, french c. 1900.

[hellallamerican]

Jerash (جرش), Jordan; summer 2023

[leroibobo]

kruszyniany mosque in kruszyniany, poland. this is the oldest lipka tatar mosque in poland.

the town of kruszyniany was assigned to tatars who participated on the side of the polish-lithuanian commonwealth in their war against the ottoman empire. after lipka tatars settled in the city, they built this mosque, most likely in the late eighteenth century; though there are documents which mention it going back to 1717. the village was settled by repatriates and belarusian muslims following world war ii.

[spiritsdancinginthenight-deacti]

• ○ |  egyptian “inlaid” eyes | ○ •

[egypt-museum-deactivated2021071]

Princess Nofret

Queen Nefertiti

Lector Priest Kaaper

Scribe Mitri

Prince Rahotep

Seated Scribe, Cairo Museum

King Hor Awibre 

Seated Scribe, Louvre Museum

[koenji]

victorian mussel shaped vinaigrette in handcrafted silver, engraved 'Lucy'. 1876.

[peashooter85]

A pair of ceremonial Chinese jade swords, Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD)

from Quan Rong Gallery

[omgthatdress]

Dress

1905-1910

Nasjonalmuseet for Kunst, Arketektur, og Design

[ancientcharm]

Roman kitchenware. Found in Pompeii

surprisingly similar to things of our time

[xanaxfarts]

ORNAMENT AS A STATUS INDICATOR can be positively heavy-handed, especially in medieval design, which spelled out the worldly wealth of the owner in aggressive terms. This early cut-velvet bag may have been used for hunting on the castle grounds. 15th Century, France.

[omnia-mors-aequat-nstrwa]

Flags of the funeral procession "Memento Mori" (19th-20th centuries)