1. Pigment blocks
Three blocks of red ochre from which pigment has been removed.
Late Upper Palaeolithic (Magdalenian period) about 18,000–12,000 years ago.
Les Eyzies, Dordogne, France.
Figurative art occurred for the first time in Europe during the Upper Palaeolithic period. Paints were from natural sources such as ochre, manganese and chalk.
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN a-c )

2. Vinča-Belo Brdo tell, Serbia
Vinca figurine
Figurine of seated person, with incised and painted decoration probably representing clothing.Late Neolithic (Vinča period), about BC
Vinča-Belo Brdo tell, Serbia
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN )

3. Tripolye figurine
Female figurine, with traces of painted decoration.Late Neolithic (Late Tripolye period) about 3800–3400 BC.
Koshylivtsi, Ukraine
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN )

4. Danish flint dagger Flint dagger with ‘fish-tailed’ hilt.
Late Neolithic–Early Bronze Age, about BC
Sjælland, Denmark
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN )

5. Ballyshannon gold disc (‘Sun disc’)
Decorated disc of sheet gold.
Late Neolithic (metal-using), about 2400 –2100 BC.
Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal. Republic of Ireland
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN1836 p )

6. Decorated lunula Gold Lunula (neck ornament) with inscribed designs
Late Neolithic (metal-using), BC.
Co. Cork, Ireland
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN )

7. Oculus bowl Bowl decorated with oculus (eye) motif.
Iberian Copper Age, about BC
Los Millares, Almería, Spain
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN Pr.129)

8. Radley composite necklace
Composite necklace of amber, jet and faience beads.
Early Bronze Age, BC
Radley, Oxfordshire, England.
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN )

9. Bronze Age shaft-hole axe
Decorated bronze shaft-hole axe head
Late Bronze Age (Br D) about BC
Hungary
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN )

10. Nuraghic figurine Bronze figurine of a worshipper carrying a ram;
Late Bronze Age (Nuraghic), BC
Sardinia
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN )

11. Penbryn Spoons
Pair of decorated cast bronze ‘spoons’, perhaps used for divination.
Late Iron Age, 50 BC – AD 100
Penbryn, Wales.
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN1836 p )

12. Ucelby torcs (Iron Age)
Two electrum torcs (neck rings)
Iron Age, about 120 BC – AD 43
Ulceby, Lincolnshire, England
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN )

13. Iron Age mirror handle Decorated bronze handle for iron mirror
Late Iron Age, AD 1-100
Ballybogy Bog, Co. Antrim, Ireland
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN )

14. Hallstatt amber necklaces
Three strings of amber beads.
Early Iron Age (Hallstatt), about BC
Hallstatt, Austria
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN )

15. Wittenham Sword (Late Iron Age)
‘The Wittenham Sword’.
Iron sword corroded inside elaborately decorated bronze scabbard.
Late Iron Age, about 100 BC.
From the River Thames at Little Wittenham, Oxfordshire, England
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library (AN )

16. Air Photograph of the Uffington White Horse
taken by Major George Allen on 5 October 1935
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library. Reference: Allen 1250 (AA0836)

17. Air Photograph of Stonehenge by Major George Allen on 8 September 1935
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library. Reference: Allen (AA811)

18. Excavations at Vinča-Belo Brdo tell, Serbia, in the 1930s
Photographs taken by the official site photographer, Miss Fanny Foster.
Type site for the Vinča cultural tradition, about 5500 to 4000 BC in Central and Eastern Europe.
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library

19. Watercolours from the Ramsauer excavations at the Early Iron Age cemetery at Hallstatt, Austria,
Left: Burial 181
Below: Hallstätter See (Lake Hallstatt)
Photograph: Ashmolean Picture Library