Visuals of the Ancients
@visualsancients.bsky.social
Different angles of ancient & some medieval ruins & artifacts. Creator of The Cobra Effect Podcast. Pics 100% from my phone 📸.
Pinned
"The Portus Relief," aka "The Torlonia Relief." It is part of the Torlonia private collection, currently exhibited at The Art Institute of Chicago.
These are close-up photos of this magnificent piece. For detailed descriptions:
www.instagram.com/p/DKKsZvvxG9...
x.com/visualsancie...
These are close-up photos of this magnificent piece. For detailed descriptions:
www.instagram.com/p/DKKsZvvxG9...
x.com/visualsancie...
🚨 ANNOUNCEMENT🚨
My personal project, "The Cobra Effect Podcast," is out! Below is a soundbite of Episode 01 with its Intro.
What are the topics covered? Well-meaning plans can easily backfire, leading to revolt, failure, and shocking events. From ancient Mesopotamia...
My personal project, "The Cobra Effect Podcast," is out! Below is a soundbite of Episode 01 with its Intro.
What are the topics covered? Well-meaning plans can easily backfire, leading to revolt, failure, and shocking events. From ancient Mesopotamia...
September 29, 2025 at 10:20 PM
🚨 ANNOUNCEMENT🚨
My personal project, "The Cobra Effect Podcast," is out! Below is a soundbite of Episode 01 with its Intro.
What are the topics covered? Well-meaning plans can easily backfire, leading to revolt, failure, and shocking events. From ancient Mesopotamia...
My personal project, "The Cobra Effect Podcast," is out! Below is a soundbite of Episode 01 with its Intro.
What are the topics covered? Well-meaning plans can easily backfire, leading to revolt, failure, and shocking events. From ancient Mesopotamia...
1/7 In Feb. 1258, the Mongols of Hulagu Khan destroyed Baghdad, just a few centuries before, one of the largest cities in the world under the Abbasid Caliphate at its peak. Four years later, Mosul shared the same fate.
This piece of art was made in Mosul around that time. 🧵of📸!
This piece of art was made in Mosul around that time. 🧵of📸!
July 9, 2025 at 2:55 PM
1/7 In Feb. 1258, the Mongols of Hulagu Khan destroyed Baghdad, just a few centuries before, one of the largest cities in the world under the Abbasid Caliphate at its peak. Four years later, Mosul shared the same fate.
This piece of art was made in Mosul around that time. 🧵of📸!
This piece of art was made in Mosul around that time. 🧵of📸!
It appears to be a simple relief... but it is not. Made of Pentelic marble between the 1st and 2nd century AD, this piece may have been part of the great altar of Athena on the Acropolis. Here you can see Athena's symbols: the owl, the olive tree, and the snake.
📸 by me at the Acropolis Museum.
📸 by me at the Acropolis Museum.
July 5, 2025 at 4:55 PM
It appears to be a simple relief... but it is not. Made of Pentelic marble between the 1st and 2nd century AD, this piece may have been part of the great altar of Athena on the Acropolis. Here you can see Athena's symbols: the owl, the olive tree, and the snake.
📸 by me at the Acropolis Museum.
📸 by me at the Acropolis Museum.
"The Portus Relief," aka "The Torlonia Relief." It is part of the Torlonia private collection, currently exhibited at The Art Institute of Chicago.
These are close-up photos of this magnificent piece. For detailed descriptions:
www.instagram.com/p/DKKsZvvxG9...
x.com/visualsancie...
These are close-up photos of this magnificent piece. For detailed descriptions:
www.instagram.com/p/DKKsZvvxG9...
x.com/visualsancie...
June 5, 2025 at 3:24 PM
"The Portus Relief," aka "The Torlonia Relief." It is part of the Torlonia private collection, currently exhibited at The Art Institute of Chicago.
These are close-up photos of this magnificent piece. For detailed descriptions:
www.instagram.com/p/DKKsZvvxG9...
x.com/visualsancie...
These are close-up photos of this magnificent piece. For detailed descriptions:
www.instagram.com/p/DKKsZvvxG9...
x.com/visualsancie...
1/3 Let's see in detail eight amazing colorful glasses from ancient Egypt. New Kingdom, Dynasty 18, c. 1550 - 1295 BC.
📸 By me at the Smithsonian Asian Art.
Top row first and always from left to right:
Lentoid flask. Jar. Two-handled vessel. Four-handled vessel.
📸 By me at the Smithsonian Asian Art.
Top row first and always from left to right:
Lentoid flask. Jar. Two-handled vessel. Four-handled vessel.
June 5, 2025 at 3:07 PM
1/3 Let's see in detail eight amazing colorful glasses from ancient Egypt. New Kingdom, Dynasty 18, c. 1550 - 1295 BC.
📸 By me at the Smithsonian Asian Art.
Top row first and always from left to right:
Lentoid flask. Jar. Two-handled vessel. Four-handled vessel.
📸 By me at the Smithsonian Asian Art.
Top row first and always from left to right:
Lentoid flask. Jar. Two-handled vessel. Four-handled vessel.
Emperor Lucius Verus (AD 161 – 169) holds a winged Victoria. The head was added to the body of an athlete, a Roman copy of an original statue by Myron of Eleutherae (480–440 BC). Myron's most famous work is the Discobolus.
📸 By me at the Vatican Museums.
📸 By me at the Vatican Museums.
June 3, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Emperor Lucius Verus (AD 161 – 169) holds a winged Victoria. The head was added to the body of an athlete, a Roman copy of an original statue by Myron of Eleutherae (480–440 BC). Myron's most famous work is the Discobolus.
📸 By me at the Vatican Museums.
📸 By me at the Vatican Museums.
View of the Colosseum from the hypogeum. In Roman amphitheaters, this was a subterranean network of tunnels and chambers beneath the arena that served as a backstage section for gladiators, animals, and stage props. From here, they would make dramatic entrances into the arena.
📸 By me.
📸 By me.
June 2, 2025 at 4:52 PM
View of the Colosseum from the hypogeum. In Roman amphitheaters, this was a subterranean network of tunnels and chambers beneath the arena that served as a backstage section for gladiators, animals, and stage props. From here, they would make dramatic entrances into the arena.
📸 By me.
📸 By me.
1/5 This was a pleasant surprise to see. This is a shaman’s rattle with a Makara head. It dates back to the 19th century and is from Mongolia.
Made of wood, ivory, bone, and pigment.
The Art Institute of Chicago. Let’s see more.
Made of wood, ivory, bone, and pigment.
The Art Institute of Chicago. Let’s see more.
May 31, 2025 at 4:49 PM
1/5 This was a pleasant surprise to see. This is a shaman’s rattle with a Makara head. It dates back to the 19th century and is from Mongolia.
Made of wood, ivory, bone, and pigment.
The Art Institute of Chicago. Let’s see more.
Made of wood, ivory, bone, and pigment.
The Art Institute of Chicago. Let’s see more.
1/2 Inspired by the Neo-Assyrian artistic style, this ivory-carved lion’s head was a finial ornament for a throne. The Smithsonian describes its origin from Northwestern Iran or Syria and dates it to between the 8th and 7th centuries BC.
May 30, 2025 at 5:03 PM
1/2 Inspired by the Neo-Assyrian artistic style, this ivory-carved lion’s head was a finial ornament for a throne. The Smithsonian describes its origin from Northwestern Iran or Syria and dates it to between the 8th and 7th centuries BC.
This marble head of Zeus-Ammon is an excellent example of ancient religious syncretism. It amalgamates the classical Greek bearded Zeus with the ram’s horns of the Egyptian Ammon.
Roman Imperial, 120 - 160 AD.
📸 By me at the MET.
Roman Imperial, 120 - 160 AD.
📸 By me at the MET.
May 29, 2025 at 6:35 PM
This marble head of Zeus-Ammon is an excellent example of ancient religious syncretism. It amalgamates the classical Greek bearded Zeus with the ram’s horns of the Egyptian Ammon.
Roman Imperial, 120 - 160 AD.
📸 By me at the MET.
Roman Imperial, 120 - 160 AD.
📸 By me at the MET.
Front and back upper close-up details of one of the Caryatids.
📸 By me at the Acropolis Museum, Athens.
#acropolis #acropolismuseum #caryatids #caryatid #athens
📸 By me at the Acropolis Museum, Athens.
#acropolis #acropolismuseum #caryatids #caryatid #athens
May 28, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Front and back upper close-up details of one of the Caryatids.
📸 By me at the Acropolis Museum, Athens.
#acropolis #acropolismuseum #caryatids #caryatid #athens
📸 By me at the Acropolis Museum, Athens.
#acropolis #acropolismuseum #caryatids #caryatid #athens
1/4 Coming across a piece of Persian Achaemenid art and history is always a privilege. Today, let me share a thread of photos of this frieze on display at the ISAC Museum (formerly known as the Oriental Institute) in Chicago.
📸 by me.
📸 by me.
May 25, 2025 at 5:09 PM
1/4 Coming across a piece of Persian Achaemenid art and history is always a privilege. Today, let me share a thread of photos of this frieze on display at the ISAC Museum (formerly known as the Oriental Institute) in Chicago.
📸 by me.
📸 by me.
1/2 Funerary portrait of a man wearing a gold-ivy headdress. The Fayum, Egypt. Roman period, early to mid-2nd century AD.
Lime (linden) wood, beeswax, pigments, gold, natural resin.
Lime (linden) wood, beeswax, pigments, gold, natural resin.
May 23, 2025 at 5:08 PM
1/2 Funerary portrait of a man wearing a gold-ivy headdress. The Fayum, Egypt. Roman period, early to mid-2nd century AD.
Lime (linden) wood, beeswax, pigments, gold, natural resin.
Lime (linden) wood, beeswax, pigments, gold, natural resin.
1/4 Roman bronze cavalry sports mask. 2nd century AD.
📸 by me at the MET.
Training exercises, parades, and tournaments were integral to military life in the Roman army. Maintaining high morale and a state of readiness was key.
📸 by me at the MET.
Training exercises, parades, and tournaments were integral to military life in the Roman army. Maintaining high morale and a state of readiness was key.
May 22, 2025 at 3:53 PM
1/4 Roman bronze cavalry sports mask. 2nd century AD.
📸 by me at the MET.
Training exercises, parades, and tournaments were integral to military life in the Roman army. Maintaining high morale and a state of readiness was key.
📸 by me at the MET.
Training exercises, parades, and tournaments were integral to military life in the Roman army. Maintaining high morale and a state of readiness was key.
Colossal head of Athena Promachos (“Athena who fights in the front line”).
Marble. Roman copy of the early 2nd century AD after the Athena Promachos sculpted by Phidias in the 5th century BC.
📸 By me at the Vatican Museums.
Marble. Roman copy of the early 2nd century AD after the Athena Promachos sculpted by Phidias in the 5th century BC.
📸 By me at the Vatican Museums.
May 19, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Colossal head of Athena Promachos (“Athena who fights in the front line”).
Marble. Roman copy of the early 2nd century AD after the Athena Promachos sculpted by Phidias in the 5th century BC.
📸 By me at the Vatican Museums.
Marble. Roman copy of the early 2nd century AD after the Athena Promachos sculpted by Phidias in the 5th century BC.
📸 By me at the Vatican Museums.
Shukongojin. 12th – 14th century AD.
Japan. Wood with traces of polychromy.
📸 By me at The Art Institute of Chicago.
The museum’s description reads: “Known also as the Thunderbolt Deity, this fierce protector of the Law of Buddhism brandishes a vajra...
Japan. Wood with traces of polychromy.
📸 By me at The Art Institute of Chicago.
The museum’s description reads: “Known also as the Thunderbolt Deity, this fierce protector of the Law of Buddhism brandishes a vajra...
May 19, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Shukongojin. 12th – 14th century AD.
Japan. Wood with traces of polychromy.
📸 By me at The Art Institute of Chicago.
The museum’s description reads: “Known also as the Thunderbolt Deity, this fierce protector of the Law of Buddhism brandishes a vajra...
Japan. Wood with traces of polychromy.
📸 By me at The Art Institute of Chicago.
The museum’s description reads: “Known also as the Thunderbolt Deity, this fierce protector of the Law of Buddhism brandishes a vajra...
The Pisa Cathedral is an extraordinary marvel of architecture and art!
May 16, 2025 at 6:04 PM
The Pisa Cathedral is an extraordinary marvel of architecture and art!
This fantastic piece of Byzantine (Eastern Roman) art is on display at the MET. It’s a fragment of a floor mosaic from between AD 500 and 550.
The museum description reads: "The bejeweled woman, holding the measuring tool for the Roman foot, is identified as Ktisis,
The museum description reads: "The bejeweled woman, holding the measuring tool for the Roman foot, is identified as Ktisis,
May 15, 2025 at 4:56 PM
This fantastic piece of Byzantine (Eastern Roman) art is on display at the MET. It’s a fragment of a floor mosaic from between AD 500 and 550.
The museum description reads: "The bejeweled woman, holding the measuring tool for the Roman foot, is identified as Ktisis,
The museum description reads: "The bejeweled woman, holding the measuring tool for the Roman foot, is identified as Ktisis,
There were three Gorgons, Stheno and Euryale, who were immortal, and the more famous Medusa, who was slain by Perseus. This bronze disc with a Gorgon decorated the first temple of Athena Polias (“Athena of the City”) on the Acropolis of Athens in the 7th century BC.
📸 by me at the Acropolis Museum.
📸 by me at the Acropolis Museum.
May 14, 2025 at 5:01 PM
There were three Gorgons, Stheno and Euryale, who were immortal, and the more famous Medusa, who was slain by Perseus. This bronze disc with a Gorgon decorated the first temple of Athena Polias (“Athena of the City”) on the Acropolis of Athens in the 7th century BC.
📸 by me at the Acropolis Museum.
📸 by me at the Acropolis Museum.
Emperor Commodus’ famous bust wearing the Nemean lion was inspired by one of these previous marble statues of bearded Hercules.
Left: Hercules from the Flavian Period (AD 69 – 96) at the MET.
Right: Commodus bust from between AD 161 – 192 at the Capitoline Museums.
📸 by me.
Left: Hercules from the Flavian Period (AD 69 – 96) at the MET.
Right: Commodus bust from between AD 161 – 192 at the Capitoline Museums.
📸 by me.
May 13, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Emperor Commodus’ famous bust wearing the Nemean lion was inspired by one of these previous marble statues of bearded Hercules.
Left: Hercules from the Flavian Period (AD 69 – 96) at the MET.
Right: Commodus bust from between AD 161 – 192 at the Capitoline Museums.
📸 by me.
Left: Hercules from the Flavian Period (AD 69 – 96) at the MET.
Right: Commodus bust from between AD 161 – 192 at the Capitoline Museums.
📸 by me.
Head of an Assyrian Lamassu from the royal palace of King Sargon II (721-705 BC) in Dur-Sharrukin.
📸 by me. University of Chicago’s Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (ISAC), formerly the Oriental Institute.
#Assyria #assyrianempire #assyrian #lamassu #isacmuseum #orientalinstitute
📸 by me. University of Chicago’s Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (ISAC), formerly the Oriental Institute.
#Assyria #assyrianempire #assyrian #lamassu #isacmuseum #orientalinstitute
May 12, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Head of an Assyrian Lamassu from the royal palace of King Sargon II (721-705 BC) in Dur-Sharrukin.
📸 by me. University of Chicago’s Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (ISAC), formerly the Oriental Institute.
#Assyria #assyrianempire #assyrian #lamassu #isacmuseum #orientalinstitute
📸 by me. University of Chicago’s Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (ISAC), formerly the Oriental Institute.
#Assyria #assyrianempire #assyrian #lamassu #isacmuseum #orientalinstitute
An incredibly well-preserved horse head belonging to a gilded bronze statue that served as an honorary monument in the city of Herculaneum.
First quarter 1st century AD.
📸 By me at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples.
First quarter 1st century AD.
📸 By me at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples.
May 11, 2025 at 11:16 PM
An incredibly well-preserved horse head belonging to a gilded bronze statue that served as an honorary monument in the city of Herculaneum.
First quarter 1st century AD.
📸 By me at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples.
First quarter 1st century AD.
📸 By me at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples.
Here we have the Greek and Persian civilizations, two peoples locked in an eternal struggle and yet united by the beauty of imagination and art. The lion and the bull symbolize chaos and order, power and resilience.
May 8, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Here we have the Greek and Persian civilizations, two peoples locked in an eternal struggle and yet united by the beauty of imagination and art. The lion and the bull symbolize chaos and order, power and resilience.
The Palazzo Barbarigo, located in the Grand Canal of Venice, was built in the 16th century. By the end of the 19th century, it became the headquarters of the Compagnia Venezia Murano, one of the glass companies of the Venetian island of Murano. On the building’s distinctive façade are mosaics...
May 8, 2025 at 10:03 PM
The Palazzo Barbarigo, located in the Grand Canal of Venice, was built in the 16th century. By the end of the 19th century, it became the headquarters of the Compagnia Venezia Murano, one of the glass companies of the Venetian island of Murano. On the building’s distinctive façade are mosaics...
Weighing six tons, this imposing statue of Tutankhamun stands five meters tall (16.4 ft).
It is currently on display at the ISAC Museum (Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures) of the University of Chicago (formerly named Oriental Institute).
📸 by me. 🧵 below.
It is currently on display at the ISAC Museum (Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures) of the University of Chicago (formerly named Oriental Institute).
📸 by me. 🧵 below.
May 6, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Weighing six tons, this imposing statue of Tutankhamun stands five meters tall (16.4 ft).
It is currently on display at the ISAC Museum (Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures) of the University of Chicago (formerly named Oriental Institute).
📸 by me. 🧵 below.
It is currently on display at the ISAC Museum (Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures) of the University of Chicago (formerly named Oriental Institute).
📸 by me. 🧵 below.