What makes this statue of Buddha so different from any others? Location, location, location: it was recently unearthed in Egypt, where it had been buried at an ancient temple at the seaport city of Berenice Troglodytica. The state dates to the second century CE from the Roman occupation of Egypt, and showcases the far-flung trading […]
Buddhist Statue in Christian Ancient Egypt Read More »
Do clearer drawings of this image appear on the interwebs? They might, but I deliberately selected this one because the scene it depicts is maybe not one that a casual scroller would want to see — it’s widely considered one of the first extant depictions of a male circumcision surgery. The practice of male circumcision
Ancient Egyptian Men Were among the Earliest to Practice Circumcision Read More »
Step on up here for some old-time British propaganda, put out by the Far Eastern Bureau with the purpose of rallying support for the Allies against the Axis powers during the Second World War. The “strength in unity theme” was a common anthem by the Brits toward their colonial subjects — here, young, straight-backed men
British Propaganda in India during World War II Read More »
This shirt dating from 15th-early 16th century northern India contains the entire Qur’an. Check out the picture-like framing, as though the wearer were adorning himself with a book rather than mere cotton. The illustrated rondels that overlay the pectoral muscles, the shoulder-pad-esque details, and the fringes that look like lapels all contribute to a faux-armor.
Talisman Shirt with Qur’an from Early Modern India Read More »
This Hindu Goddess has been around for a long time: I introduce to you all the deity Sheetala (also Shitala). In English, her name means “the cooling one,” and she is a mother goddess protector from smallpox and childhood illnesses — except for the times when she becomes the embodiment of disease and annihilates those
Sheetala Hindu Goddess and Smallpox Read More »
The oldest continuous center of learning is in Fez, Morocco. The University of al-Qarawiyyin (aka Al-Karaouine) was founded as a mosque in either 857 or 859, and likely scholars were teaching there soon after. According to a 14th-century manuscript, al-Qarawiyyin was founded by Fatima al-Fihri, a wealthy woman from a merchant family, who had immigrated
Fez, the Oldest “University” Read More »
Here’s a late 14th-century illustration of the African trading route to Ghana, one of the world’s key areas of commerce and part of the Kingdom of Mali (of Mansa Musa fame). And this map is the closet pictorial representation I could find to document the constitution of the Medieval Mali Empire, because it is actually
Medieval Mali Manden Charter Read More »
As the 1300s began, the Christian-held areas of Spain saw an influx of slaves from a variety of cultures: Greeks, Armenians, Turks, foreign Muslims, and sub-Saharan Africans. While Christians (as well as Muslims and Jews) had legally enslaved people for centuries, they were newly confronted with the fact that some of their Muslim neighbors were
Medieval slavery and blackness Read More »
This woodblock print from about 1787 is by the Japanese artist Torii Kiyonaga, and it’s one of the most elegant examples of the distinct art from the Edo period in Japan, a time when the country’s artistic creativity generated works admired both at home and by Europeans. “Interior of a bathhouse” shows several women in
Torii Kiyonaga the Woodcut Artist Who Focused on Women and Erotica Read More »
This is a beautiful modern artistic rendition of one of China’s most famous poets: Li Qingzhao (1084- ca. 1155). Her works reflect a sort of artistic craftsmanship that cannot be translated into English, and also a unique window into a woman’s mind from a time of strident patriarchy. Most of her writings have been lost,
Li Qingzhao the Famous Medieval Chinese Poetess Read More »
