Quran Leaf - AD.332, Dimensions: 6.4" (16.3cm) high x 9.72" (24.7cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art.

Quran Leaf - AD.332, Dimensions: 6.4" (16.3cm) high x 9.72" (24.7cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art.   « Less

Quran Leaf - AD.328, Dimensions: 11.53" (29.3cm) high x 7.55" (19.2cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art.

Quran Leaf - AD.328, Dimensions: 11.53" (29.3cm) high x 7.55" (19.2cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art.   « Less

Manuscript Leaf - AD.336, Dimensions: 12.6" (32.0cm) high x 10.7" (27.2cm) wide, Collection: Islamic.

Manuscript Leaf - AD.336, Dimensions: 12.6" (32.0cm) high x 10.7" (27.2cm) wide, Collection: Islamic.   « Less

Ganesha (also spelled Ganesa or Ganesh) is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in Hinduism. Although he is known by many other attributes, Ganesha's elephant  More »

Ganesha (also spelled Ganesa or Ganesh) is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in Hinduism. Although he is known by many other attributes, Ganesha's elephant head makes him easy to identify. Several texts relate mythological anecdotes associated with his birth and exploits, and explain his distinct iconography. Ganesha is worshipped as the lord of beginnings and as the lord of obstacles (Vighnesha),] patron of arts and sciences, and the god of intellect and wisdom. He is honoured with affection at the start of any ritual or ceremony and invoked as the "Patron of Letters" at the beginning of any writing. Ganesha appears as a distinct deity in clearly-recognizable form beginning in the fourth to fifth centuries, during the Gupta Period. His popularity rose quickly, and he was formally included as one of the five primary deities of Smartism (a Hindu denomination) in the ninth century. During this period, a sect of devotees (called Ganapatya) who identify Ganesha as the supreme deity was formed. The principal scriptures dedicated to his worship are the Ganesha Purana, the Mudgala Purana, and the Ganapati Atharvashirsa. Ganesha is one of the most-worshipped divinities in India. Worship of Ganesha is considered complementary with the worship of other forms of the divine, and various Hindu sects worship him regardless of other affiliations. Devotion to Ganesha is widely diffused and extends to Jains, Buddhists, and beyond India. - (X.0589)   « Less

Quran Leaf - AD.334, Dimensions: 7.44" (18.9cm) high x 10.23" (26.0cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art.

Quran Leaf - AD.334, Dimensions: 7.44" (18.9cm) high x 10.23" (26.0cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art.   « Less

Quran Leaf Fragment - AD.337, Dimensions: 8.34" (21.2cm) high x 13.5" (34.3cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art.

Quran Leaf Fragment - AD.337, Dimensions: 8.34" (21.2cm) high x 13.5" (34.3cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art.   « Less

Manuscript Leaf - AD.333, Dimensions: 9.4" (23.9cm) high x 6.2" (15.7cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art.

Manuscript Leaf - AD.333, Dimensions: 9.4" (23.9cm) high x 6.2" (15.7cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art.   « Less

Quran Leaf - AD.335, Dimensions: 7.4" (18.8cm) high x 12.4" (31.5cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art.

Quran Leaf - AD.335, Dimensions: 7.4" (18.8cm) high x 12.4" (31.5cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art.   « Less

Like much of Southeast Asia, the island of Java (today a part of the archipelago nation of Indonesia) has historically been highly influenced by Indian civilization. The  More »

Like much of Southeast Asia, the island of Java (today a part of the archipelago nation of Indonesia) has historically been highly influenced by Indian civilization. The religions of Hinduism and Buddhism, both originating from the subcontinent, were the vehicles through which Indian culture spread across Java and the greater archipelago region. However, due to its location near the strategic Straights of Malacca, one of the most important maritime routes in the world, Java was also exposed to many other cultural influences. As Buddhism began to spread in China, Chinese pilgrims would often stop in Java en route to the holy sites in India. Like other cultures exposed to foreign influences, the Javanese did not practice wholesale assimilation, but instead opted to pick and choose certain elements that appealed to their tastes, incorporating them into their own culture, while altogether ignoring other aspects.Before the spread of Islam into the archipelago beginning in the 13th century and the rise of various Muslim states in the following centuries, Hinduism and Buddhism flourished in Java and beyond. Even after the majority of Java converted to Islam, certain Hindu customs and beliefs persisted among the greater population. While Hinduism and Buddhism share several similarities, the type practiced in Java was syncretic, combining certain features with native traditions. Hindu and Buddhist maritime kingdoms began to emerge on the archipelago at the end of the first millennium. Srivijaya was perhaps the most dominant. Although based in Sumatra, the Srivijaya Kingdom was allied with the Buddhist Saliendra Dynasty (the builders of Borobudur, the largest Buddhist structure in the world) who controlled Java. As the power of the Saliendras began to wane, a rival Indianized kingdom began to take over. Known as the Matarams, from their base in Central Java, this kingdom quickly rose to prominence, becoming a serious rival to Srivijaya hegemony.The historical figure, Buddha Gautama Sakyamuni is the Buddha of compassion who, having achieved the highest evolutionary perfection, turns suffering into happiness for all living beings. Born around 560 B.C. somewhere between the hills of south Nepal and the Rapti river, his father was a Raja who ruled over the northeastern province of India, the district including the holy Ganges River. The young prince was married to Yashoda when he was about 17 years old and together they had a son named Rahula. At the age of 29, he left his life of luxury, as he felt compelled to purify his body and make it an instrument of the mind by ridding himself of earthly impulses and temptations. - (CK.0110)   « Less

Turquoise Glazed Dish - ADC.177, Origin: Central Asia, Dimensions: 3.07 " (7.8cm) high x 6.61" (16.8cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art, Medium: Fritware .

Turquoise Glazed Dish - ADC.177, Origin: Central Asia, Dimensions: 3.07 " (7.8cm) high x 6.61" (16.8cm) wide, Collection: Islamic Art, Medium: Fritware .   « Less