Incense: Did you mean...?

A Maya incense burner in the form of Itzamnaaj. The god wears a costume with feline headdress. Painted ceramic, c. 1200-1521, Peten, Guatemala (St. Louis Art Museum, Missouri)

A bronze incense burner in the form of a duck. Han dynasty, China, 2nd-3rd centruy CE. (Musée Guimet, Paris)

This late classical bronze incense burner comes from Zghuderi, Georgia. It dates from c. 50-350 CE. (Georgian National Museum, Tbilisi)

This ancient Japanese incense burner has a lion-shaped weight at the end of its handle. It was cast in bronze and dates from the 8th century CE during the Nara period in Japanese history. (Tokyo National Museum)

This painted incense container is made from cut stone and dates from c. 600-900 CE. Maya artisans created it in what is present-day Guatemala during the Classical era. (Musée du Cinquantenaire, Brussels)

The Land of Punt was a region in Africa (most likely Somalia) referenced by inscriptions of ancient Egypt initially as a partner in trade and, later, as a semimythical country rich in resources and exotic goods. It is best known from the...

Saba (also given as Sheba) was a kingdom in southern Arabia (region of modern-day Yemen) which flourished between the 8th century BCE and 275 CE when it was conquered by the neighboring Himyarites. Although these are the most commonly accepted...

The Nabatean Kingdom was a powerful political entity which flourished in the region of modern-day Jordan between the 4th century BCE and c. 106 CE and is best known today for the ruins of its capital city of Petra. Although it is clear that...

For the ancient Egyptians life was a celebration, and so, just as one would want to look one's best at any party, personal hygiene was an important cultural value. The Egyptians bathed daily, shaved their heads to prevent lice or other problems...

The life of wealthy Romans was filled with exotic luxuries such as cinnamon, myrrh, pepper, or silk acquired through long-distance international trade. Goods from the Far East arrived in Rome through two corridors – the Red Sea and the Persian...