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 📸.
🚨 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...
7/7 You can see and appreciate this piece at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art.
📸 by me. I hope you enjoyed this 🧵. If so, please share and follow for more of this content. Cheers!
📸 by me. I hope you enjoyed this 🧵. If so, please share and follow for more of this content. Cheers!
July 9, 2025 at 2:55 PM
7/7 You can see and appreciate this piece at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art.
📸 by me. I hope you enjoyed this 🧵. If so, please share and follow for more of this content. Cheers!
📸 by me. I hope you enjoyed this 🧵. If so, please share and follow for more of this content. Cheers!
6/7 Despite the fall of Nineveh and the Mongol conquest, the local people are resilient, just as Christianity there resisted and outlived the terror of ISIS barely a decade ago.
July 9, 2025 at 2:55 PM
6/7 Despite the fall of Nineveh and the Mongol conquest, the local people are resilient, just as Christianity there resisted and outlived the terror of ISIS barely a decade ago.
5/7 Today, Mosul is the second-largest city in Iraq, after Baghdad. However, Mosul was once Nineveh, the capital of the mighty Neo-Assyrian Empire, and for around 50 years, it was the largest city in the world until its violent demise in 612 BC.
July 9, 2025 at 2:55 PM
5/7 Today, Mosul is the second-largest city in Iraq, after Baghdad. However, Mosul was once Nineveh, the capital of the mighty Neo-Assyrian Empire, and for around 50 years, it was the largest city in the world until its violent demise in 612 BC.
4/7 Mosul was a vibrant city where Muslims, Christians, and Jewish artists created marvelous architecture and art such as this one.
July 9, 2025 at 2:55 PM
4/7 Mosul was a vibrant city where Muslims, Christians, and Jewish artists created marvelous architecture and art such as this one.
3/7 As the description reads, this canteen "probably held precious oils at a local church." Although its geometric designs evoke Islamic art, its themes are distinctly Christian: the Virgin and Child, scenes from the life of Christ, and saints and knights.
July 9, 2025 at 2:55 PM
3/7 As the description reads, this canteen "probably held precious oils at a local church." Although its geometric designs evoke Islamic art, its themes are distinctly Christian: the Virgin and Child, scenes from the life of Christ, and saints and knights.
2/7 This canteen is made of brass (an alloy of copper and zinc) with silver inlay.
Modern scholars date this piece to c. 1240, and although there is debate, the museum's description indicates that it is from the city of Mosul, in northern modern Iraq.
Modern scholars date this piece to c. 1240, and although there is debate, the museum's description indicates that it is from the city of Mosul, in northern modern Iraq.
July 9, 2025 at 2:55 PM
2/7 This canteen is made of brass (an alloy of copper and zinc) with silver inlay.
Modern scholars date this piece to c. 1240, and although there is debate, the museum's description indicates that it is from the city of Mosul, in northern modern Iraq.
Modern scholars date this piece to c. 1240, and although there is debate, the museum's description indicates that it is from the city of Mosul, in northern modern Iraq.
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...
3/3 🚨 If you liked this post, please share and follow for more of this content!
June 5, 2025 at 3:07 PM
3/3 🚨 If you liked this post, please share and follow for more of this content!
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.
5/5 In shamanism, a rattle’s sound clears negative energies, purifies spaces, or protects against harmful spirits during rituals or healing ceremonies.
Even further north, as far as Mongolia, a Makara protects.
📸 By me.
Even further north, as far as Mongolia, a Makara protects.
📸 By me.
May 31, 2025 at 4:49 PM
5/5 In shamanism, a rattle’s sound clears negative energies, purifies spaces, or protects against harmful spirits during rituals or healing ceremonies.
Even further north, as far as Mongolia, a Makara protects.
📸 By me.
Even further north, as far as Mongolia, a Makara protects.
📸 By me.
4/5 It surprised me to see this one as a shaman’s rattle as far north as Mongolia!
May 31, 2025 at 4:49 PM
4/5 It surprised me to see this one as a shaman’s rattle as far north as Mongolia!
3/5 In both the Hindu and Buddhist traditions, Makaras are guardians. It’s common to see them at the entrance of buildings.
Depicted in Hindu and Buddhist temple iconography in reliefs and as statues, Makaras appear in South Asia (Nepal, India, Sri Lanka), Southeast Asia, and East Asia.
Depicted in Hindu and Buddhist temple iconography in reliefs and as statues, Makaras appear in South Asia (Nepal, India, Sri Lanka), Southeast Asia, and East Asia.
May 31, 2025 at 4:49 PM
3/5 In both the Hindu and Buddhist traditions, Makaras are guardians. It’s common to see them at the entrance of buildings.
Depicted in Hindu and Buddhist temple iconography in reliefs and as statues, Makaras appear in South Asia (Nepal, India, Sri Lanka), Southeast Asia, and East Asia.
Depicted in Hindu and Buddhist temple iconography in reliefs and as statues, Makaras appear in South Asia (Nepal, India, Sri Lanka), Southeast Asia, and East Asia.
2/5 A Makara is a mythical sea creature that resembles a water crocodile. In Sanskrit, Makara means “sea dragon” or “aquatic monster,” hence they are the vehicle of the goddess of the river Ganges and the god of the sea, Varuna.
May 31, 2025 at 4:49 PM
2/5 A Makara is a mythical sea creature that resembles a water crocodile. In Sanskrit, Makara means “sea dragon” or “aquatic monster,” hence they are the vehicle of the goddess of the river Ganges and the god of the sea, Varuna.