The Cat Symphony, made by the Austrian painter Moritz von Schwind in 1868, is the humorous depiction of a melody for violins in which instead of notes, numerous cats move across the paper. Now housed at the Staatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe in Germany [2814x3552]

A gold posy ring decorated with sixteen stars. The inscription on the inner face reads ‘Many are thee starrs I see yet in my eye no starr like thee’. 17th-18th century CE, now housed at the British Museum [2048x1461]

A Roman bronze colander from Pompeii, Italy, 1st century BCE [736x1474]

A very rare authentic Tibetan Kapala. Human Skull Bowl. [500x652]

Artwork from the Roman Villa del Casale (Cir. 4th Century AD) at Piazza Armerina in the province of Enna, Sicily, Southern Italy. [2048x1406]

Bronze sculpture depicting a pig. The object was found in Herculaneum and had votive connotation. The inscription “HER. VOR. M.L.” means “For Hercules, from Voesius, Freedman of Marcus“. The picture was taken at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford (southern England). [1082x860]

Colossal head of Demeter (2nd cent. B.C.) from the Sanctuary of Demeter and Despoina at Lykosoura, Arcadia, preserved at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. [2829x4243]

The Treasure of El Carambolo found in Andalusia, Spain, in 1958. Consisting of 21 pieces of crafted gold, the treasure has been dated to the 8th century BCE, with the exception of the necklace, which is thought to be from 6th century BCE Cyprus [1439x2627]

Grave XI at Skateholm II, in Sweden, showing a number of antlers placed on the legs of a young man. About 90 graves have been found at the Skateholm settlement, and they have been dated from about 5250 to 4900 BCE [676x1150]

The Aula Palatina at Trier, Germany, is a Roman palace basilica and an early Christian structure built between 300-310 CE. The basilica contains the largest extant hall from antiquity, with a length of 67m, a width of 26.05m and a height of 33m [1198x2448]

Sandstone gateway architrave with makara, a legendary aquatic creature. Shunga empire, ca. 150-100 BC. Loaned to the Metropolitan Museum of Art from the Indian Museum, Kolkata. Originally from Bharhut Great Stupa, Satna district, Madhya Pradesh [4000x3000] [OC]