Global Art History: Ancient to Late Antiquity

Vocabulary flashcards covering key historical artworks, monuments, dates, and cultures from prehistoric art through Late Antiquity.

Maros-Pangkep Cave Painting

A cave painting located in Sulawesi, Indonesia, created around 37,000–34,000 BCE.

Gwion Gwion Figures

A group of rock art figures near the King Edward River in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, dating to approximately 20,000 BCE.

Lion–Human Figurine

A mammoth ivory statuette measuring 11⅝ in. (29.5 cm) high from Hohlenstein-Stadel, southwest Germany, dating to c. 40,000–35,000 BCE, housed in Museum Ulm.

Woman of Willendorf

An oolitic limestone statuette from Austria measuring 4⅜ in. (11.1 cm) high, created c. 24,000–22,000 BCE, now in the Naturhistorisches Museum in Vienna.

Stonehenge

A prehistoric megalithic monument located on the Salisbury Plain in southern England, constructed between 2900–1500 BCE.

Temple of Anu (White Temple)

An ancient Mesopotamian temple situated at Uruk (Warka, Iraq), constructed around 3300 BCE.

Lamassu of Ashurnasirpal II

A colossal gypsum winged protective figure (10 ft. 2½ in. x 2 ft. ½ in.) that guarded a portal in the Northwest Palace at Kalhu (Tell Nimrud, Iraq), c. 879 BCE.

Apadana Reliefs at Persepolis

Stone reliefs on the Eastern Staircase of the Apadana building in Fars Province, Iran (521–423 BCE), depicting delegations bringing gifts to the empire.

Coin of King Menander

A silver coin weighing 0.35 oz. (9.95 g) from the mid-2nd century BCE featuring an image of Athena on the reverse.

The Narmer Palette

A graywacke palette measuring 25¼ in. (64.1 cm) long, excavated at Hierakonpolis, Egypt, from the end of Dynasty 0 (c. 3000 BCE).

Pyramids on the Giza Plateau

Old Kingdom Fourth Dynasty royal burial complex in Egypt constructed 2589–2503 BCE, comprising the pyramids of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure.

The Great Sphinx

A monumental stone sculpture in Giza, Egypt, measuring 60 × 240 ft., dating to 2558–2532 BCE.

King Menkaure and Queen

An Old Kingdom Fourth Dynasty graywacke statue (height 4 ft. 8 in.) from Giza, Egypt, created 2532–2503 BCE, portraying Menkaure and likely Khamerernebty II.

Expedition to Punt Relief

A relief from Deir el-Bahri, Egypt, created during the reign of Hatshepsut (New Kingdom, Eighteenth Dynasty, 1473–1458 BCE).

Stele of Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and Their Children

A painted sunken relief on limestone (17⅛ × 15⅜ in.) from Akhetaten (Tell el-Amarna, Egypt), dating to the Eighteenth Dynasty (1352–1336 BCE).

Inner Coffin of Tutankhamun

A solid gold coffin with inlaid ceramics and semiprecious stones from his tomb in the Valley of the Kings, Eighteenth Dynasty, c. 1327 BCE.

Great Temple of Ramesses II

A Nineteenth Dynasty sandstone rock-cut temple complex in Abu Simbel, Egypt, completed c. 1260–1255 BCE, featuring 69 ft. tall colossal seated statues.

Last Judgment before Osiris

A painted papyrus manuscript page (height 15½ in.) from the Book of the Dead, created c. 1275 BCE and preserved in the British Museum.

Royal Tombs of Meroë

Nubian steep-sided pyramids constructed during the Meroitic period in Meroë, Sudan, dating to c. 1–350 CE.

Reliefs of Amanitore and Natakamani

Incised stone reliefs on the entrance to the Temple of Apedemak at Naqa, Sudan, dating from the Nubian Meroitic period (c. 50 BCE).

Nok Style Head

A fired clay head fragment (height 9⅞ in.) from Jemaa, Nigeria, created in the Nok Style between 700–400 BCE.

The Great Bath of Mohenjo Daro

A public water structure located in the raised citadel area of Mohenjo Daro, Pakistan, built during the Indus period (c. 2600–1900 BCE).

Mohenjo Daro Female Figurine

A bronze figurine (height 4 in.) found at Mohenjo Daro, Pakistan, from the Indus period (c. 2600–1900 BCE).

Indus Seals

Steatite square seals depicting animals such as bulls, elephants, or one-horned creatures paired with Indus script, dating to c. 2600–1900 BCE.

Fire-Flame Cooking Vessel

A ceramic vessel (height 21 in., diameter 22 in.) with dynamic rim decoration from the Middle Jōmon period in Japan, c. 2500 BCE.

Terracotta Army (Pit 2)

Life-size terra-cotta figures from the tomb complex of the First Emperor of Qin in Lintong, Shaanxi province, China, c. 210 BCE.

Ban Chiang Clay Jar

A painted pottery jar measuring 15 in. high from Ban Chiang, northeastern Thailand, dating to 300 BCE–200 CE.

Early Cycladic Female Figure

A marble grave sculpture of a woman (height 18 in.) from Syros, Greece, belonging to the Early Cycladic culture, c. 2600–2300 BCE.

Toreador Fresco

A Minoan wall painting depicting bull-leaping from the palace at Knossos, Crete, Greece, dating to c. 1400 BCE.

Flotilla Fresco

A New Palace period wall painting (height approx. 14 in.) from Room 5 of West House, Akrotiri, Thera, created c. 1600 BCE.

Mask of Agamemnon

A gold death mask (height 10¼ in.) discovered in Grave Circle A at Mycenae, Greece, dating to c. 1550–1500 BCE.

Citadel of Mycenae

A fortified Bronze Age site in Greece that served as a major center of Mycenaean civilization from 1600–1100 BCE.

Prinias Temple A Sculptured Lintel

Sculptured stone lintel fragments from Temple A at Prinias, Crete, Greece, dating to 625 BCE.

Corinthian Olpe

A terra-cotta pitcher (height 12⅞ in.) produced in Corinth, Greece, decorated with friezes of animals between 650–625 BCE.

Temple of Hera I

An Archaic Greek Doric temple built of plaster-covered limestone in Poseidonia (Paestum), Italy, c. 550 BCE.

Peplos Kore

An Archaic marble votive statue (height 47 in.) of a young woman from the Akropolis, Athens, c. 530 BCE, retaining traces of original paint.

Kouros from Anavysos

An Archaic Greek marble statue of a nude male youth (height 6 ft. 5 in.) from Attica, Greece, c. 530 BCE.

Amphora with Ajax and Achilles

An Athenian black-figure ceramic vessel (height 24 in.) painted by Exekias c. 550–540 BCE showing Ajax and Achilles playing a board game.

Niobid Krater

An Athenian red-figure ceramic vase (height 21 in.) found in Orvieto, Italy, dating to c. 450 BCE.

Zeus in Warrior Pose

A Classical Greek bronze statue (height 7 ft.) recovered from Cape Artemision, Greece, dating to c. 460–450 BCE.

Parthenon

The Classical Greek temple dedicated to Athena Parthenos on the Akropolis in Athens, designed by Iktinos and Kallikrates and built 447–432 BCE.

Hestia, Dione, and Aphrodite

A group of marble pedimental sculptures (4 ft. ⅜ in. × 10 ft. 4⅛ in.) from the east pediment of the Parthenon in Athens, 447–432 BCE.

Doryphoros (Spear Bearer)

A Roman marble copy (height 6 ft. 7⅝ in.) of the lost Greek bronze sculpture by Polykleitos of Argos from c. 450–440 BCE.

Grave Stele of Hegeso

A painted marble grave relief (5 ft. 1 in. × 3 ft. 2½ in.) from the Dipylon cemetery in Athens, created c. 410 BCE.

Lanzón Sculpture

A 15 ft. tall carved stone monolith standing within the underground galleries of the main temple at Chavín de Huántar, Peru, c. 900–200 BCE.

Paracas Funerary Mantle

An embroidered woven cloth mantle (4 ft. 7⅞ in. × 7 ft. 10⅞ in.) from Paracas, Peru, dating to the 1st century CE.

Hummingbird Nasca Line

A geoglyph approximately 320 ft. long etched onto the desert plain at Nasca, Peru, created c. 500 CE.

Moche Portrait Vessel

A slip-painted ceramic vessel (height 13⅝ in.) shaped as a human head from Moche, Peru, dating to c. 400–600 CE.

Sipán Ear Ornament

A circular ornament made of gold and turquoise (diameter 4¾ in.) from the Sipán tombs of the Moche culture, Peru, c. 300 CE.

Gateway of the Sun

A monolithic stone gateway measuring 9 ft. 10 in. × 13 ft. built by the Tiwanaku culture at Tiahuanaco, Bolivia, c. 375–500 CE.

Olmec Colossal Head (Head 8)

A basalt head sculpture (7 ft. 2 in. × 5 ft. 5 in., approx. 13 tons) from San Lorenzo, Mexico, dating to c. 1200–900 BCE.

San Bartolo Maize God Fresco

An Early Maya wall painting detail from the north wall at Las Pinturas, San Bartolo, Guatemala, c. 100 BCE.

Teotihuacan Goddess Fresco

A wall fresco depicting a divine female figure from the Tetitla apartment complex in Teotihuacan, Mexico, c. 550–600 CE.

Pyramid of the Sun

A massive stepped pyramid structure built c. 150 CE in Teotihuacan, Mexico.

Gaul Killing Himself and His Wife

A Hellenistic Roman marble copy (height 6 ft. 11 in.) after a bronze original by Epigonos from Pergamon, created c. 230–220 BCE.

Great Altar of Zeus

A monument featuring high-relief gigantomachy friezes from Pergamon (Türkiye), constructed c. 180–160 BCE.

Seated Boxer

A Hellenistic bronze statue (height 47 in.) attributed to Apollonius, found at the Baths of Constantine in Rome, dating to c. 100–50 BCE.

Temple of Minerva at Veii

An Etruscan temple constructed of wood, mud brick, and terra-cotta at the Sanctuary of Portonaccio in Veii, Italy, c. 510 BCE.

Apulu of Veii

A painted terra-cotta roof statue (height 5 ft. 11 in.) attributed to Vulca, originally from the Temple of Minerva at Veii, Italy, c. 510 BCE.

Sarcophagus of the Spouses

An Etruscan terra-cotta funerary monument (3 ft. 9½ in. × 6 ft. 7 in.) from the Banditaccia necropolis in Cerveteri, Italy, c. 520 BCE.

Banquet Scene, Tomb of the Triclinium

An Etruscan fresco painting depicting diners and performers inside the Tomb of the Triclinium, Tarquinia, Italy, c. 480–470 BCE.

House of the Vettii

A Roman domus in Pompeii, Italy, originally built in the 2nd century BCE and rebuilt between 62–79 CE.

Alexander Mosaic

A large floor mosaic (8 ft. 10 in. × 16 ft. 9 in.) from Pompeii showing the Battle of Issos, based on a late 4th-century BCE painting by Philoxenos of Eretria.

Bacchanalian Mystery Rites Mural

A Roman Second Style mural from room 5 of the Villa of the Mysteries in Pompeii, Italy, dating to the 1st century BCE.

Augustus as Imperator

A painted marble statue (height 6 ft. 8 in.) of Augustus from the Villa of Livia at Prima Porta, Italy, early 1st century CE.

Procession of the Imperial Family

A marble relief frieze (height 5 ft. 3 in.) from the south enclosure wall of the Ara Pacis Augustae in Rome, created 13–9 BCE.

Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater)

A monumental amphitheater in Rome constructed from tufa and concrete faced with travertine, built c. 70–80 CE.

Arch of Titus

A marble triumphal arch measuring 50 ft. high standing in Rome, erected c. 81 CE.

Portraits of Flavian Women

Marble statues (approx. 6 ft. 6 in. high) depicting elite women in peplos or as Ceres, found at Aphrodisias, early 2nd century CE.

Column of Trajan

A 128 ft. tall marble triumphal column in Rome decorated with a continuous spiral relief, dedicated c. 110 CE.

Pantheon Exterior

A Roman temple dedicated to all gods, constructed c. 110–28 CE, featuring an inscription bearing Marcus Agrippa's name.

Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius

A gilt bronze over-life-sized equestrian statue (height 11 ft. 6 in.) of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, c. 161–80 CE.

Portraits of the Tetrarchs

A porphyry sculptural group (height 4 ft. 3 in.) carved c. 305 depicting four co-rulers, formerly in Constantinople and now embedded in the Cathedral of St. Mark, Venice.

Arch of Constantine

A marble triumphal arch measuring approx. 69 ft. high built in Rome between 312–15 CE.

Colossal Head of Constantine

A marble head fragment from a statue exceeding 30 ft. high, originally located in the Basilica Nova in Rome, created c. 315–30 CE.

Consecration of the Tabernacle Mural

A tempera wall painting on the western wall of the synagogue at Dura-Europos, Syria, created c. 245 CE.

Gold-Glass Base with Jewish Iconography

A 4th-century CE vessel base (diameter 4⅝ in.) made of blown glass with gold leaf from a Roman catacomb, now in The Israel Museum.

Santa Pudenziana Apse Mosaic

An Early Christian apse mosaic depicting Christ enthroned among the apostles in the church of Santa Pudenziana, Rome, c. 400 CE.

Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus

A carved marble Christian sarcophagus (4 × 8 ft.) from c. 359 CE, found in the grottos of St. Peter, Vatican City.

Doors of Santa Sabina

Carved cypress wood doors (17 ft. 7½ in. × 10 ft. 6¾ in.) created c. 422–32 CE for the Church of Santa Sabina in Rome.