Ancient Art

June 9, 2025

The Metropolitan Museum of Art Returns Three Ancient Sculptures to Iraq

Three ancient artifacts in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collections are on their way back home. After extensive provenance research by scholars, a Sumerian vessel made of gypsum alabaster and two Babylonian ceramic sculptures will be returned to Iraq. This announcement follows the launch of The Met's Cultural Property Initiative, which involves focused research into the history of items in the collection.

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November 2, 2024

Explore the Ancient “Cave of Swimmers” in the Sahara Desert

The Sahara is known for being the largest desert in the world, stretching thousands of miles across the northern African continent. Touching the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, and the Red Sea, this vast expanse of sand and rock is in sharp contrast to its bordering waters. But the geological history of the region is quite different than its dusty, dry present.

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June 30, 2024

Volunteers Uncover 3,500-Year-Old Rock Art During Environmental Cleanup in Kazakhstan

Cleaning campaigns are good news for the environment. But thanks to one of such missions in Kazakhstan, fans of archeology also have something to be excited about. During a cleanup in the the Zhambyl (or Jambyl) region, volunteers came across about 100 petroglyphs, dating back to the Bronze or Iron ages, roughly 3,500 years ago. After the rock art was spotted, local archeologists were brought in to examine them.

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April 30, 2024

Intricate Glass Cups Featuring Gladiators Were Souvenirs in Ancient Rome

In ancient Rome, the gladiators who fought at the Colosseum were superstars. The top athletes of their day, these men trained relentlessly to participate in the gruesome battles that entertained up to 80,000 spectators. Many of their lives were short because of these battles, which also involved animals, but they were admired for their courage. A glass cup in The Metropolitan Museum of Art demonstrates just how revered some gladiators were.

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