Part of the letter from Persian King Tahmasp to Ottoman Sultan Suleiman in 1554, after the Ottomans’ swift retreat from Iranian territory: “The Roman entered here, shit himself, and left the next day. You failed to remain here even for a single day.” [632×501]August 11, 2025
Caffè Florian is a coffee house situated in the Procuratie Nuove of Piazza San Marco Venice. It was established in 1720 and is the oldest coffee house in continuous operation in Italy, and one of the oldest in the world [2163 x 3081]August 11, 2025
Caparisoned elephant. China, Liao dynasty, ca. 11th c. Gilt bronze. Cleveland Museum of Art collection [6111×4810]August 11, 2025
Susano’o no Mikoto subduing the dragon Yamata no Orochi. Ink and color on silk. Kawanabe Kyōsai. Japan, 1887, Meiji Era. Detail Crop+Full image. The composition is organized so the viewer focuses first on the brightly colored figure of Susano’o, before noticing the dragon below… [OC] [1080×608]August 11, 2025
Galileo Galilei’s Moon Image. The famous astronomer Galileo Galilei, after observing through his telescope in 1609, drew the first images of the Moon. They have survived to this day and are quite valuable. [900×1243]August 11, 2025
Mary Queen of Scots’s Chalice containing an amethyst and pearls once set in her necklace, c.1560. [2592×3456]August 11, 2025
The Queen of the Night relief, terracotta, Old Babylonian Empire, c. 1775 BC. Current state vs. colors restored according to experts at the British Museum after analysis of pigment traces. The relief is dimly lit from below, as it probably was originally (personal interpretation)… [1920×1280] [OC]August 11, 2025
Helmets from Vendel Period (pre-Viking Age) graves 5 and 8, Valsgärde, Sweden, 7th century [1540×1190]August 11, 2025
A 2,000-year-old hat intended to keep Roman soldiers cool in the heat of the desert following their conquest of Ancient Egypt has been painstakingly brought back to life. The artefact, now held at Bolton Museum, is believed to be one of only 3 similar headpieces remaining in the world [3840×2160]August 11, 2025
1930. Girl with teddy bear at a runestone (Sö 305) in Söderby in Botkyrka. The inscription says: “Sibbe and Tiarve had the stone raised in memory of Torkel, their father”. Via Swedish National Heritage Board. [1284×2011]August 11, 2025
500-year-old Snake Figure from the Incan Empire, c.1450-1532 CE: this fiber-art serpent measures 86.4cm long (about 34 inches) and it was made from cotton and camelid hair [3806×5042]August 11, 2025
