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March 2024

March 12, 2024

Wu Zetian, Ruthless Empress and Patroness of Buddhism

The empress Wu Zetian (624-705) was one of China's greatest rulers. She is also known...

August 2023

August 25, 2023

The Ancient Secret of the Dunhuang Cave

The discovery of a long-hidden library in a cave near Dunhuang, China, was one of...

June 2023

June 16, 2023

The Afterlife of the Bamiyan Buddhas

The giant Buddhas of Bamiyan, central Afghanistan, were destroyed in March 2001 on orders of...

May 2023

May 18, 2023

The Mystery of the Emerald Buddha

The Emerald Buddha is the most sacred object in Thailand. It is the nation's palladium,...

May 12, 2023

Buddhism in Egypt?

Buddhism in Egypt? Nearly two millennia ago? Maybe. A statue of the Buddha dating to...

May 08, 2023

The Origins of Dragons

What are the origins of dragons? It isn't clear when and where dragons first appeared...

April 2023

April 27, 2023

How a Bronze Statue by Michelangelo Became a Cannon

Even geniuses can have rough patches. One of Michelangelo's major works, a huge bronze statue...

April 19, 2023

The True Story of the Sistine Chapel Ceiling

Michelangelo's frescos on the Sistine Chapel ceiling represent the peak of the High Renaissance. Even...

April 15, 2023

Pope Sixtus IV and the Italian Renaissance

The reign of Pope Sixtus IV, 1471 to 1484, is still felt in Rome today....

April 05, 2023

The Controversial History of Michelangelo’s David

The fallout from the recent Michelangelo's David controversy continues. If you've spent the past month...

March 2023

March 31, 2023

The Story of Michelangelo’s Pietà

Of all the great works of art associated with the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ,...

March 29, 2023

The Surprising History of Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper

Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper has a surprising history. Even being asked to paint...

February 2023

February 17, 2023

How Hercules Reached Japan

Heracles was a hero of ancient Greek mythology. He's better known to most of us...

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