Sculptures and reliefs in marble and stone; vase-painting, wall painting, and painting on papyrus; jewelry of the finest gold; and figurines of faience and bronze are featured in this handsome and useful overview. Selected from the collections of Egyptian, Near Eastern, Aegean, Greek, Etruscan, and Roman art at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the 36 objects included represent the richness and variety of ancient art. Each chapter presents an overview of a culture, followed by detailed commentaries about individual objects, illustrated by magnificent photographs.