Images

Biface from Blombos Cave, South Africa. It belongs to the Africa Middle Stone Age (MSA) tool culture and has been dated to c. 71,000 years old.

The jade dragon from Hongshan, Inner Mongolia, China. Dating to between 4500 and 3000 BCE, it is the earliest known depiction of a dragon. National Museum of China, Beijing. Image by David Owsley Museum, used with permission.

A carved jade dragon. Han dynasty, 2nd-1st century BCE. The British Museum, London.

A gold sword hilt decorated with interlaced dragons. Eastern Zhou dynasty, 6th-5th century BCE. The British Museum, London.

A glazed ceramic roof tile depicting a dragon. Nanjing, Ming dynasty, 1366-1400. The British Museum, London.

A painting by Caravaggio (1571-1610 CE) of David, the future king of Israel, with the head of the giant Goliath whom he slew with a sling stone. (Galleria Borghese, Rome)

A 12th century CE stained glass window depicting King David of Israel and his son and successor Solomon. Strasbourg Cathedral, France.

A Chinese woman of the early 20th century CE with feet made smaller by the ancient practice of foot-binding. (From 'Women Of All Nations' published by Underwood & Underwood, 1911)

A diagram showing the effect on the bones of the foot from the ancient Chinese practice of foot-binding.

A Chinese silk shoe designed to be worn by a woman with bound-feet. 18th century CE. (Musées du château des Rohan, Musée Louise Weiss, Saverne, France)