ALT My photo shows a small and ancient figurine of an amber bear carved some 10,000 years ago during the Danish Mesolithic period. The museum lighting makes the amber glow translucent orange against a dark display case background. The bear is displayed on a small metal stand viewed in profile facing right. The ears, muzzle, and mouth are defined. The neck has a polished groove suggesting it was once suspended on a cord. The characteristic shoulder hump of a brown bear is clearly defined. There are some finely incised horizontal lines along the belly. The legs are incomplete. Length 6.5cm. It was found in 1991 on a west coast beach of the Danish North Sea island of Fanø. It is one of a small number of amber animal figurines from the Baltic Sea region dated to the Mesolithic period.

ALT My photo shows a human figure roughly carved from dark brown oak wood during the Mesolithic period about 5,400-5,300 BC. It is 12.5 cm tall with a long body with two finger-shaped indents on the right hand side, suggesting it was made to be held in the hand. The stylized head has deeply carved eyes, nose, and open mouth. The triangular shape of the mouth makes it look as if the figure is smiling, leading to its description as ‘The oldest smile in the world’. It is displayed against a black display case background at Landesmuseum Halle in Germany where the figure is currently on loan for the ‘Shamaness’ exhibition. It is part of the permanent collections of Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Leiden, Netherlands. It was found in a layer of peat in 1966 during the construction of a dock at Willemstad, North Brabant, Netherlands.

ALT My photo shows three bright orange, drop-shaped pieces of amber arranged in a row against a dark background in a museum display case. Each piece of amber is decorated with finely incised patterns. The smaller piece on the left is decorated with a comb motif - a horizontal line with short vertical lines on top. The larger middle piece has a patchwork of alternating incised rectangles, and the piece on the right has three horizontal rows made up of drilled pits across its surface . Each piece has a hole at the top suggesting it was attached to a cord to be worn as jewellery or suspended. Amber has many properties which may have been associated with 'magic'. For example, when rubbed against fur, amber produces static electricity which can give off sparks in the dark, make hair stand on end, and attract small things towards it.

ALT My photo shows two blue-green Egyptian faience hippopotamus figurines displayed on a white museum surface. The larger hippo on the right sits upright on its haunches with short front legs planted forward, head turned to the left with mouth open, as if smiling. It is 9 cm in length. The smaller hippo on the left lies in a reclining or resting pose, with body close to the ground. It measures 4.8cm in length. Both are decorated with black lotus flower and aquatic river plant motifs. The museum arrangement makes them appear like a mother and her baby hippo 🥰 Egyptian blue faience is a ceramic material made of ground quartz. The decoration depicts Nile river plants such as lotus flowers found in their marsh habitat. Lotus flowers were associated with regeneration as they open in the morning and close at night. Ancient Egyptians feared hippos for their destructive power, but they were also seen as fiercely protective of their young, embodying positive powers of rebirth

ALT My photo shows a small figurine of a bear carved and polished out of a piece of amber between 9600 and 4100 BC. Seen in profile facing right, the amber bear is a deep translucent orange in colour which is emphasised by display lighting against a dark background, which makes the amber glow. The head is carved to show ears, mouth, nostrils, and eyes. A hole through the torso indicates it was threaded onto a cord. Length 10.2 cm, Height 4.2cm. Found during peat digging near Słupsk, Poland, in 1887. I took this photo today at the Landesmuseum Halle in Germany where the bear is currently on loan from Poland for the excellent ‘Shamaness of Bad Duremburg’ exhibition.

ALT My photo shows a profile view of a small horse figurine with head to the left, displayed against a dark background. Sculpted from mammoth ivory, the surface is a mottled greyish-earthy-brown colour with a shiny patina. It was once likely off-white in colour. The head is gracefully lowered with a long and elegant curving neck, and a convex curved back. The four legs are incomplete. The top of the tail remains. The eyes, nostrils, and mouth are carved as indents. It measures a mere 2.5 cm in height, 4.8 cm width, and 0.7 cm depth. The 'Vogelherd Horse' was excavated in 1931, together with a number of other ivory animal figurines from the Vogelherd Cave, Swabian Jura, Germany. It is the oldest known sculpture of a horse. On display at the Museum of Ancient Cultures, at Hohentübingen Castle, Tübingen, Germany.