American Institute of the Humanities

American Institute of the Humanities Home-Study Degree and Online Programs in American History and Ancient Civilizations

The American Institute of the Humanities offers a comprehensive educational overview of the history of the Americas and of ancient civilizations.

El Tocado-- the biggest and “most ornate pre-Columbian headdress ever discovered.” It dates from around 1000 CE.
05/27/2026

El Tocado-- the biggest and “most ornate pre-Columbian headdress ever discovered.” It dates from around 1000 CE.

300-pound rock from ancient Greece with the inscription, "Bophades could lift this over his head."
05/27/2026

300-pound rock from ancient Greece with the inscription, "Bophades could lift this over his head."

Quetzalcoatlus northropi model next to a 1.8m man. The largest known flying animal to ever exist.
05/27/2026

Quetzalcoatlus northropi model next to a 1.8m man. The largest known flying animal to ever exist.

Lady Rai (c. 1570/1560 – 1530 BCE) was an ancient Egyptian woman of the early 18th Dynasty who served as nursemaid to Qu...
05/27/2026

Lady Rai (c. 1570/1560 – 1530 BCE) was an ancient Egyptian woman of the early 18th Dynasty who served as nursemaid to Queen Ahmose-Nefertari (1562–1495 BCE).

1. Triple Alliance jaguar warrior2. Aztec soldier3. Mexica Captain
05/25/2026

1. Triple Alliance jaguar warrior
2. Aztec soldier
3. Mexica Captain

Steel Blade: Ulu (plural: uluit). Inuit Women’s Knife, Walrus Ivory Handle, ca. 1890. Private Collection. Uluit have bee...
05/24/2026

Steel Blade: Ulu (plural: uluit). Inuit Women’s Knife, Walrus Ivory Handle, ca. 1890. Private Collection. Uluit have been found that date back to as early as 2500 BCE. Traditionally, the ulu would be passed down from generation to generation.

The basic equipment of a Roman soldier could weigh up to 44 pounds and included a helmet, armor, scarf, tunic, sword, sp...
05/24/2026

The basic equipment of a Roman soldier could weigh up to 44 pounds and included a helmet, armor, scarf, tunic, sword, spear, shield, cloak, military boots, spare clothes, food rations, a cooking pot, a short spade, a hand mill for grinding grains and more.

Koma Pottery Figure — Ghana, Africa1100 AD - 1500 CEA large and very rare Koma pottery figure from Ghana, dating to the ...
05/24/2026

Koma Pottery Figure — Ghana, Africa

1100 AD - 1500 CE

A large and very rare Koma pottery figure from Ghana, dating to the 12th to 16th Century. This complex 'duality' sculpture is comprised of two conjoined bodies topped by two janus-form heads. There are two pairs of faces, two are bearded males and two are females; facing in opposing directions. The heads are elaborately detailed with bold features characteristic of the Koma; including elongated heads, large coffee-bean shaped eyes and pronounced chin. The bodies are further adorned with applied necklace/collar with figural pendants, loin cloths, armlets and bracelets. Also seen are the extremely long fingers, pronounced breasts, and protruding navels; all common traits of Koma figures from this period. In good condition. Both heads have been reattached with visible glue lines. Three legs are missing as are the toes of the fourth leg. Numerous small losses and surface erosion along with several stable cracks. Overall shows a weathered surface with deposits as would be expected. Scattered roots imbedded, mostly in the deep crevices. An exceptional artifact from a little-understood people. Figures like this are typically found fragmentary. Seldom seen this intact and original. A fine example.

Koma figures were originally discovered in the 1980s in what is known as 'Koma Land'. The first were found during archaeological fieldwork directed by Professor Ben Kankpeyeng of the University of Ghana. Although there is little known about how such sculptures were used, scholars have suggested they were used in special ceremonies and rituals in which the spirits of the ancestors were invoked.

Mother Goose was first published in 1697, in a book by famed folklorist Charles Perrault; it is unclear if the book is o...
05/23/2026

Mother Goose was first published in 1697, in a book by famed folklorist Charles Perrault; it is unclear if the book is original nursery rhymes or if they predate publication, with some stories similar to earlier tales like Boccaccio.

1. Andalusian infantryman, 10th century BCE2.Andalusian cavalryman, 11th century BCE3. Berber-Andalusian light cavalryma...
05/23/2026

1. Andalusian infantryman, 10th century BCE
2.Andalusian cavalryman, 11th century BCE
3. Berber-Andalusian light cavalryman, 10th century BCE
4. Andalusian infantry officer archer, 11th century BCE

Olmec Jade Mask990-500 BCEThe Olmecs are generally considered to be the ultimate ancestor of all subsequent Mesoamerican...
05/23/2026

Olmec Jade Mask
990-500 BCE

The Olmecs are generally considered to be the ultimate ancestor of all subsequent Mesoamerican civilizations. Thriving between about 1200 and 400 BCE, their base was the tropical lowlands of south central Mexico, an area characterized by swamps punctuated by low hill ridges and volcanoes. Here the Olmecs practiced advanced farming techniques and constructed many permanent settlements. Their influence, both cultural and political, extended far beyond their boundaries; the exotic nature of Olmec designs became synonymous with elite status in other (predominantly highland) groups, with evidence for exchange of artefacts in both directions. Other than their art (see below), they are credited with the foundations of writing systems (the loosely defined Epi-Olmec period, c. 500 BCE), the first use of the zero – so instrumental in the Maya long count vigesimal calendrical system – and they also appear to have been the originators of the famous Mesoamerican ballgame so prevalent among later cultures in the region.

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