Tiglath Pileser

Earthenware with white glaze and underglaze colours, cuerda seca (dry cord) technique.

Wall tiles
c. 1630-50
Probably from Lahore

Seen at -
The Great Mughals:
Art, Architecture and Opulence exhibition.

V & A Museum #London

#TilesOnTuesday

A large cathedral choir ceiling painted as a blue sky punctuated with beautiful golden stars. For more information, visit: https://carlislecathedral.org.uk/visitor-information/unique-features/

The dreamy barrel-vaulted choir ceiling @carlislecathedral.bsky.social. The structure is from circa 1400, but the heavenly painted decoration is from a 19th century restoration, repainted in 1970. #CeilingsOnSunday #Carlisle #Cumberland #Cathedrals
📷 my own

Fantastic place and great city.

"Architecture is teamwork. Apprenticeship is not." -
Mimar Sinan in Elif Şafak's novel The Architect's Apprentice.

He probably never said it, but that's a great line.

Basílica de S. Marcos, Venice - never gets dull

Glimpsed up close, the grand entrance of the Basilica di Santa Croce in Florence reveals its extraordinary craftsmanship in a way the wider view can’t fully capture. The ornate marble façade—shaped from pale stone framed by deep green accents—creates a striking rhythm of geometry and devotion. Intricate carvings surround the towering wooden doors, each panel etched with expressive faces and sacred scenes, worn gently by centuries of weather, footsteps, and whispered prayers. Above the doorway, sculpted figures gather beneath a cross, their forms telling stories of faith and art intertwined. Light softens the stone’s edges, revealing subtle color variations and textures that only emerge at close range. This quiet moment at the threshold of one of Italy’s most storied basilicas offers a chance to pause, admire, and feel the weight of history pressing gently forward.

Florence’s Basilica di Santa Croce always stops me in my tracks. Those entrance doors alone—nearly 25 feet tall and roughly 12 feet wide—set the tone for the artistry inside. Truly breathtaking.
#Photo #PhotoOfTheDay #Italy #Florence

Wow. I would never have guessed that it was 40,000 years old.

My photo shows a profile view of a small horse figurine with head to the left, displayed against a dark background. Sculpted from mammoth ivory, the surface is a mottled greyish-earthy-brown colour with a shiny patina. It was once likely pale white in colour. It measures 2.5 cm height, 4.8 cm width, and 0.7 cm depth. The head is gracefully lowered with a long curving neck and a convex curved back. The four legs are incomplete. The top of the tail remains. The eyes, nostrils, and mouth are carved as indents. The ‘Vogelherd Horse’ was excavated in 1931, together with a number of other ivory animal figurines from the Vogelherd Cave, Swabian Jura, Germany. It is the oldest known sculpture of a horse. On display at the Museum of Ancient Cultures, at Hohentübingen Castle, Tübingen, Germany.

Something ancient and wonderful for the weekend! 🤩

The world’s oldest known sculpture of a horse!

This tiny figurine was carved from mammoth ivory by an Ice Age artist some 40,000 years ago!

📷 by me

#Archaeology

FINAL REVEAL: A brand new Benin bronze plaque, titled "Looting of the Oba's Palace in 1897".

This #newarrival confronts the theft of works from Benin in 1897. It shows what the palace altar looked like before 1897 (left), and British soldiers in the act of looting (right).

Topkapi Palace, Istanbul. Favoured by Sultans and tourists.
📷 By Carlos Delgado,

Süleymaniye Mosque, Istanbul.
📷 mine

Hagia Sophia - "Preachers' Platform" added after the Ottoman conquest.
📷 mine

Interior of Hagia Sophia
📷 mine

Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript
Now on view at The Met Fifth Avenue, Gallery 453.

The Museum holds eight surviving folios from this dispersed Qur'an. Completed in 1137 CE, the manuscript features text in eastern kufic with touches of naskh, adorned with luminous foliate scrolls.

📷 Met Museum

Just another Istanbul view.

The walls of Theodosius - still standing.

Random ginger cat.

Lesson learned: approach mornings like an Istanbul cat with a slow start, big stretch, and unstoppable swagger.

#Istanbul #Catsofistanbul #Blueskyphotography #Morningyoga #Streetphotography #Citystreets #Travel #Photography

Great video. Genuine archaeology and history are much more fascinating than laughable theories based on who knows what.

These beautiful little windows are jealous of the light people carry inside of them.

#Istanbul #Travel #Photography #Hagiasophia #Architecture #Blackandwhitephotography #BNW

Santo Stefano, Bologna — Part of the historic Complex of the Seven Churches, this ancient site is definitely worth a visit. It includes one of the city's earliest churches and offers a fascinating look at Bologna’s religious heritage.
📷 mine

Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. And always keep your ironmongery even closer.

Flashback to Italian Breakfast.
📷 mine

The Basilica of Santo Stefano in Bologna.
📷 mine

Basilica del Santo Sepolcro in Bologna.
📷 mine

Collage of image of important Italian Renaissance art.

🚙 Early 2026 we'll visiy Florence, Pisa, Siena, Padua, and more to do lots of filming to enhance our upcoming art films w/ magnificent images & footage.

🗞️ Read our newsletter with more details here: sh1.sendinblue.com/3g31t0lympxp...

🗃️ #arthistory #Italy #skystorians #art #academia #renaissance

Nice starter.

Armour in Islamic realms is frequently inscribed with mystical verses and bears Qur'anic inscriptions. In addition to providing physical protection, they are believed to possess a special talismanic quality, functioning as mirrors that can repel evil.

A ceiling mosaic, viewed from the ground. The central motif is of various biblical characters. However, the wider mosaic is highly decorated, with no shortage of gold, bright colours and complex and intricate patterns. The quality is very high and the general impression is quite overwhelming.

Bit much?

#MosaicMonday
(Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna)

8,000-Year-Old Ceramic Workshop Unearthed in İzmir’s Ulucak Höyük Reveals Early Specialized Production - Anatolian Archaeology Archaeologists in western Türkiye have uncovered an 8,000-year-old pottery workshop at Ulucak Höyük in İzmir, complete with molds...

Potastic! #ancientbluesky #archaeology