Great Zimbabwe
Stone walls and conical towers representing the ruler's generosity enclosed the royal residence of the Great Zimbabwe Empire in southern Africa.
Sika dwa kofi (Golden Stool)
The Golden Stool is a ceremonial object that represents national unity and embodies the soul of the Ashanti nation. It is strictly ceremonial and is accompanied by its own entourage.
Portrait mask (Mblo)
A stylized portrait mask of a specific woman that represents her wisdom, respect, introspection, health, and individuality. It is danced in her honor in a multi-sensory performance.
Bundu Mask
A mask worn and danced by women that represents ideals of female beauty, morality, and behavior. It signifies wisdom, beauty, health, pregnancy, and the order of ideal households.
Aka Elephant Mask
These masks are used in multi-sensory performances to assert political power. They are worn by the elite Kuosi society and assist the king in his role as preserver and enforcer of a rigid social and political hierarchy.
Reliquary figure (byeri)
These figures represent qualities admired by the Fang, such as tranquility, vitality, and the ability to balance opposites. They sit on boxes containing ancestral relics and help initiate boys into manhood.
Ndop (portrait figure) of King Mishe miShyaang maMbul
Used in conjunction with oral histories to preserve the reign of King Mishe miShyaang maMbul and represent the emphasis the Kuba place on composure and intelligence.
Power figure (Nkisi n'kondi)
Activated by the nganga (priest) for rituals connected to ancestor worship and communication with the spirit world. Nails and other materials are attached to transform the figure into a powerful agent.
Female (Pwo) mask
A mask representing the female ancestor of the Chokwe people. It embodies ideal feminine beauty, displays traditional Chokwe iconography and scarification, and represents ideal standards of behavior for women and men.
Lukasa (memory board)
Memory boards that illustrate critical aspects of Luba culture, history, and political systems. They are encoded with engravings and beadings that convey specific information about historical events and leaders.
Wall Plaque, from Oba's palace
Elaborate wall plaques that decorated the Oba's palace in Benin. They demonstrate the power of the Oba, extensive trade networks, and the continuity of Oba rule.
Ikenga (shrine figure)
The Ikenga symbolizes greatness, vigor, determination, strength, and success in the man who commissioned it. It serves as a point of contact between the patron and his ancestor.
Veranda post of enthroned king and senior wife (Opo Ogoga)
Representing the seated king and his larger senior wife. It alludes to the importance of women in Yoruba society and their support of the king.
Buddha
Carved statues of Buddha located on the Silk Road. Pilgrims could circumambulate the statues, but they were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001.
Jowo Rinpoche, enshrined in the Jokhang Temple
The most sacred site in Tibet, enshrining the face of the actual Buddha. Pilgrims make a pilgrimage here to transform their energy and aid in reincarnation.
Longmen caves
In situ rock-cut sculptures representing the transmission of Buddhism to the East. Commissioned by Empress Wu, they show political dominance and assimilation.
Great Stupa at Sanchi
A domed mound containing relics of Shakyamuni Buddha. It is a 3D mandala and a sacred mountain, and worshippers circumambulate it to venerate Buddha and meditate for Enlightenment.
Borobudur Temple
The world's largest Buddhist shrine, representing a cosmic mountain and a mandala. Relief carvings and stupas guide pilgrims in their journey from darkness to enlightenment.
Todai-ji
A temple in Japan that expresses the simplicity of Zen Buddhism and politically unifies the country. It houses the Great Buddha statue and is guarded by fierce Guardian Figures.
Ryoan-ji
A temple with a Dry Garden representing physical discipline and the Wet Garden symbolizing the natural world and purification. It suggests a relationship between Shintoism and Buddhism in their connection to the natural world.
Shiva as Lord of Dance (Nataraja)
A portable bronze statuette of Shiva balancing on one leg atop the dwarf of ignorance. It represents the Hindu ideal of beauty and the soul's journey to salvation and eternal serenity.
Lakshmana Temple
A Hindu temple honoring the god Vishnu and solidifying the Chandella Dynasty's rule
Funeral Banner of Lady Dai
Refers to the earliest portrait found in Chinese painting. The banner is meant to attract her soul so it can begin its journey to the afterlife.
Daoist recluse
Describes Fan Kuan, an individual who retreated to the mountains to study nature.
Recording light, shade, texture, etc.
Highlights Fan Kuan's mastery in capturing various aspects of nature.
Travelers Among Mountains and Streams
Emphasizes that the painting is meant to be meditated on and represents Daoist, Confucian, and Buddhist beliefs.
Cosmic vision
Portrays a cosmic vision of man's harmonious existence in a vast and orderly universe.
David Vases
Refers to porcelain vases with Persian cobalt-blue underglaze decoration. They contain auspicious symbols and were part of an altar set.
Eclectic influences
Describes the various influences, including Turkey and India, on the design of the vases.
Auspicious symbols and blessings
Discusses the use of auspicious symbols on the vases and their association with seeking blessings and prosperity.
Forbidden City
Refers to the complex that served as the home to the Chinese imperial family for over 500 years.
Political and religious center
Highlights the role of the Forbidden City as a political and religious center.
Iconography and Confucian symbolism
Discusses the presence of auspicious symbols and Confucian symbolism in the architecture of the Forbidden City.
Hall of Supreme Harmony
Refers to the location of the emperor's throne and the site of important ceremonies in the Forbidden City.
Silla Kingdom and shamanistic rituals
Describes the Silla Kingdom and its practice of shamanistic rituals in important ceremonies.
Sacred tree and fertility symbols
Discusses the symbolism of the Gold and Jade Crown, including the representation of a sacred tree and symbols of fertility and abundance.
Silk Road influence
Highlights the influence of the Silk Road on the design of the Gold and Jade Crown.
Commemoration of Sin Sukju
Refers to the painting that commemorates the accomplishments of Sin Sukju, a Korean scholar and civil servant.
The Great Wave
Refers to the woodblock print by Hokusai depicting a threatening wave and Mt. Fuji.