The copes in the Met collection reflect the multiculturalism and wide horizon of the Armenian mercantile class
Armenian merchants played an essential role in facilitating trade in and outside Iran, so when the Safavid ruler Shah 'Abba' (r. 1587–1629) planned to revitalize Iran's economy, he resettled a community of Armenians from the city of Julfa to his new capital, Isfahan. From there, the Armenians helped Iran's famous silk reach markets worldwide. In the 17th century, the Armenian community drove the engine of trade in luxury silks made in Safavid Iran and Mughal India. Thanks to their mercantile skills, Christian faith, and dispersed community, the Armenians had a successful network in Europe and Asia. The variety of fabrics sold
Treasures of Metsamor
During the excavations in the ancient site of Metsamor, which have been held for more than fifty years, the citadel with a palace and economic buildings, the unique shrines with alters, the “observatory” for viewing the celestial bodies, the “workshop” of smelters and foundries representing the complete cycle of metalworking, Early Bronze Age raw brick dwellings, with round plan, a Late Bronze-Iron Age urban district and a vast tomb have been unearthed.The Museum of History and Archeology at Metsamor Site was established in 1968. The museum collection consists of about 28.000 artifacts, with 8.500 on view. It covers the Chalcolithic
One of the largest museums in China – the Nanjing Museum
The Nanjing Museum ( 南京博物院) is located in Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu Province in East China. With an area of 70,000 square meters, it is considered one of the largest museums in China and one of the first museums established in this country. The museum has over 400,000 items in its permanent collection. Especially notable is the museum's remarkable collection of Ming and Qing imperial porcelain, which is regarded among the largest in the world.There are twelve exhibition halls at the museum. The collection highlight is a full-size suit of armor made from small-scaled jade tiles joined by silver
Vishapaqar Dragon-stones: distinct monuments of Armenian culture
A vishapakar or vishapaqar (Armenian: Վիշապաքար), also known as vishap-stones, vishap-stelae, serpent-stones, dragon-stones, are characteristic monoliths found in considerable numbers in the Armenian Highlands, at or within natural and artificial ponds, and other sources of water. They are commonly carved from one solid piece of stone into upright standing (sometimes horizontal) cigar-like shapes with fish heads or serpents. Supposedly they are images of vishaps; a water dragon derived from ancient Armenian folklore. There are about 150 known extant vishap stelae, of which 90 are found in Armenia.Three main types of vishap-stones are known so far: 1. Bull form (square, thick
The mysterious Chinese Bronze Age culture of Shijiahe
The Shijiahe and Post-Shijiahe culture is a not very well-known late Bronze Age culture in China, named after the Shijiahe, the archeological site first discovered in Tianmen City, Hubei Province. It was preserved in small-scaled exquisite sculptures that show the marvelous artistic creativity of the ancient craftsmen and reflect the belief system and religious customs. A significant number of ceramic figurines and statuettes of animals that belonged to the Shijiahe culture have been unearthed at the Dengjiawan site. Those artifacts were excavated alongside the accumulations of ceramic fragments in many ash pits. It's noteworthy that hundreds of clay couples are carved in
