Search
Search Results

Image
Li Po Writing Poetry
17th-century, woodcut recreation of Li Po writing 100 verses while drinking a quart of wine seated on the veranda with a group of men.

Image
King David Writing Psalms
A 17th century CE artist's rendition of David inscribing one of his famous psalms. By Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (Guercino).

Image
Maya Ruins of San Gervasio on Cozumel
This photograph shows some Maya ruins from the San Gervasio archaeological site, which is located on the island of Cozumel in Mexico. In the center, one sees the "Niches" structure, which was once composed of miniature shrines that were built...

Video
Semitic's vowel-smuggling consonants - History of Writing Systems #9 (Pointing & Matres Lectionis)
Semitic languages like Hebrew and Arabic evolved a unique way to write vowels... with consonants! See how in this episode of Thoth's Pill: an Animated History of Writing. You're back in the ancient Middle East, where seemingly everyone's...

Definition
Religion in the Ancient World
Religion (from the Latin Religio, meaning 'restraint,' or Relegere, according to Cicero, meaning 'to repeat, to read again,' or, most likely, Religionem, 'to show respect for what is sacred') is an organized system of beliefs and practices...

Video
Thoth's Pill - an Animated History of Writing
My animation takes you through the birth and evolution of writing. Watch the story of the world's scripts unfold, from the early cave days to modern writing systems. But only if you choose to take Thoth's Pill... This animated documentary...

Image
Maya Tikal Glyph
The Maya glyph for Tikal. From a stela in the Archaeological Museum of Tikal.

Image
The Maya "Alamo" Structure at San Gervasio
This temple was originally roofed although part of its vaulting, shaped like an inverted staircase, can still be seen on its southern side. There was once an altar within, where offerings were placed in Pre-Columbian times. The building was...

Image
Maya Vessel with Dog Painting
Maya vessel depicting several mythological scenes. This part of the vessel depicts a god with a spotted tail and ears. The dog is a companion of death, and like his own has a dark nature. Found in Guatemala, attributed to the "Metropolitan...

Image
Maya Tripod Bowl
3-4th century CE, Guatemala, Mesoamerica. Metropolitan Museum of Art A favored vessel type of the Maya lowlands was one made in the shape of a tropical bird, perhaps a cormorant, in the act of catching a fish in its beak. The bird's forehead...