Stupa 2, excavated artifact, The Bimaran Reliquary

Bimaran, Darunta, Afghanistan; 2 9/16 in.x 2 19/32 in.; gold with garnets

Cave 17, excavated artifact,Buddha (probably Sakyamuni) Preaching in Paradise

Gansu. Dunhuang; 4 ft. 6 23/32 in.x 3 ft. 4 5/32 in.; painted silk

Tomb 1, excavated artifact, Dancer

Anhui. Huainan. Jiuli; H: 2 19/64 in.; jade

Fikellura Cemetery, Tomb 172, excavated artifact, Relief with Peleus and Thetis

Kamiros (deserted settlement), Rhodes, Greece; 6 11/16 in.x 6 27/64 in.x 5/8 in.; moulded terracotta

Royal Cemetery, PG779, excavated artifact, #U.11164, Standard of Ur, front, Scenes of War: left portion

Ur (deserted settlement), Iraq; H: 8 1/2 in; shell, lapis lazuli, red limestone; set in bitumen

Royal Cemetery, PG779, excavated artifact, #U.11164, Standard of Ur, front, War side: center portion

Ur (deserted settlement), Iraq; H: 8 1/2 in.; shell, lapis lazuli, red limestone; set in bitumen

Royal Cemetery, PG779, excavated artifact, #U.11164, Standard of Ur, rear, Aftermath of the Victorius Battle: left and center

Ur (deserted settlement), Iraq; H: 8 1/2 in.; shell, lapis lazuli, red limestone; set in bitumen

Royal Cemetery, PG779, excavated artifact, #U.11164, Standard of Ur, rear, Aftermath of the Victorius Battle, top register: detail of left side

Ur (deserted settlement), Iraq; shell, lapis lazuli, red limestone; set in bitumen

Royal Cemetery, PG779, excavated artifact, #U.11164, Standard of Ur, rear, Aftermath of the Victorius Battle, center and lower register: detail of center

Ur (deserted settlement), Iraq; shell, lapis lazuli, red limestone; set in bitumen

Royal Cemetery, PG779, excavated artifact, #U.11164, Standard of Ur, rear, Aftermath of the Victorius Battle, top register: detail of right side with entertainers

Ur (deserted settlement), Iraq; shell, lapis lazuli, red limestone; set in bitumen

Royal Cemetery, PG779, excavated artifact, #U.11164, Standard of Ur, rear, War side

Ur (deserted settlement), Iraq; 1 ft. 7 1/2 in. x 8 1/2 in.; shell, lapis lazuli, red limestone; set in bitumen

Mausoleum, excavated artifact, so-called "Maussollos"

Halicarnassus, Turkey; 9 ft. 10 7/64 in. x 3 ft. 8 3/32 in. x 2 ft. 2 49/64 in.; marble

Royal Cemetery, PG789, excavated artifact, #U.10412, Queen's Lyre

Ur (deserted settlement), Iraq; 3 ft. 8 19/64 in.x 2 ft. 4 47/64 in.x 2 3/4 in.; lapis lazuli, shell, red limestone, gold on wood

Ship Burial, Mound 1, excavated artifact, Hanging Bowl

Sutton Hoo, England; 5 5/16 in.x 11 47/64 in.; champlevé, inlaid, gilt, silver, gold, copper alloy

Royal Cemetery, PG779, excavated artifact, #U.11164, Standard of Ur, War Side, upper left: first register

Ur (deserted settlement), Iraq; shell, lapis lazuli, red limestone; set in bitumen