Videos

The Très Riches Heures (a medieval Book of Hours) offers a vivid glimpse into what October looked like in its calendar page, showing farmers plowing and sowing seeds, birds stealing grain, an archer by the Seine River, and the medieval Louvre in Paris bustling with life long before it became the museum it is today. Above, Libra and Scorpio mark the zodiac, reminding us how medieval time was tied to the stars. Commissioned by Jean, Duke of Berry, this illuminated manuscript's blend of seasonal labor with the zodiac, and its naturalistic details, make it one of the most famous examples of medieval art. Image: October, in the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry (c. 1412–16), Limbourg Brothers and later artists. Musée Condé, Chantilly, France. Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank 🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more videos about art history, history, and archaeology! It really helps our small channel, and we appreciate it. *CHAPTERS* 0:00 October in the Très Riches Heures 1:00 The Seine River and the Louvre 1:24 Lunette with zodiac imagery 2:00 A Book of Hours and its patron, Jean, Duke of Berry 2:48 Calendar Pages Learn more about Fall and Spooky Season: https://www.artsq.org/fall-and-spooky-season Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNSZVIXd3ZgTFRv9vHJKU8Q/join ---------------------------- *WANT TO LEARN MORE? HAVE A QUESTION?* http://artsq.org/ *INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING OUR WORK?* Become a patron to help us create materials for our channel! Patreon—https://www.patreon.com/ARTSQ *JOIN OUR COMMUNITIES ON SOCIAL* Instagram—https://www.instagram.com/artsq_official #medievalart #louvre #arthistory #medieval #gothicart #manuscript #symbolism #historyofart #gothic #medievalhistory #october #spookyseason #castle #calendar

Created in mid-16th-century Mexico, the Codex Mendoza includes records of Aztec tribute, or payments from conquered provinces that sustained imperial power and wealth. The Codex Mendoza is one of the most important sources for understanding the Aztec (Mexica) Empire. This video explores what tribute was, how it functioned in Aztec society, and why documents like the Codex Mendoza remain essential for studying Mesoamerican history. In the video, we explore how Indigenous artist-scribes recorded tribute items, including cotton cloaks, cacao, feathers, jewelry, shields, and warrior costumes, from provinces such as Tochtepec. We'll even show you how items were counted in the codex. Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank *CHAPTERS* 0:00 The Codex Mendoza and Sources for Understanding the Aztecs 0:26 What is tribute? 0:40 Tribute codices 1:03 Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza and the Viceroyalty of New Spain 1:24 The Codex Mendoza and Tribute 1:50 Tribute from Tochtepec and Pictographs 2:30 Counting items 2:58 Aztec power This video is perfect for anyone interested in: ✅ The Aztecs and the Aztec Empire ✅ Mesoamerica ✅ Mesoamerican symbols ✅ Early Colonial Manuscripts/Codices 🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more videos about art history, history, and archaeology! It really helps our small channel, and we really appreciate it. Join this channel membership to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNSZVIXd3ZgTFRv9vHJKU8Q/join Grab our Introduction to the Aztecs text! https://www.artsq.org/store/p/aztecs-mesoamerica-informational-text-reading Check out our entire glossary of art history: https://www.artsq.org/about-key-terms-ideas-art-history ---------------------------- *SUPPORT OUR WORK?* Become a patron to help us create materials for our channel! Patreon—https://www.patreon.com/ARTSQ *WANT TO LEARN MORE? HAVE A QUESTION?* http://artsq.org/ *JOIN OUR COMMUNITIES ON SOCIAL* Instagram—https://www.instagram.com/artsq_official Facebook—https://www.facebook.com/ARTSQofficial #mesoamerica #aztec #aztechistory #aztecempire #arthistory #precolumbian #tribute #spanishcolonization #history #historicalart #codex #Mexico #socialstudies #educationalvideos #medievalart

Dancing skeletons in a graveyard? The Danse Macabre, or Dance of Death, was one of the most striking artistic traditions of the Middle Ages. Originating in 13th-century Europe during times of plague, war, and pestilence, this imagery showed skeletons dancing with kings, peasants, merchants, children, and clergy alike to remind viewers that death spares no one. Far from being purely grim, the Dance of Death encouraged people to reflect on life’s fleeting nature and to live meaningfully while they could. In this video, we explore the history of the Danse Macabre with the famous illustration in the 1493 Nuremberg Chronicle. This video is perfect for anyone interested in: ✅ Medieval Art ✅ Spooky Season ✅ Art History Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank 🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more videos about art history, history, and archaeology! It really helps our small channel, and we appreciate it. *CHAPTERS* 0:00 What Is the Danse Macabre (Dance of Death)? 0:33 Origins of the Danse Macabre in Medieval Europe 1:23 The Meaning of the Dance of Death 1:46 The Danse Macabre in the Nuremberg Chronicle 2:16 The Danse Macabre in Other Art Learn more about Fall and Spooky Season: https://www.artsq.org/fall-and-spooky-season Check out our entire glossary of art history: https://www.artsq.org/about-key-terms-ideas-art-history Join this channel membership to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNSZVIXd3ZgTFRv9vHJKU8Q/join ---------------------------- *SUPPORT OUR WORK?* Become a patron to help us create materials for our channel! Patreon—https://www.patreon.com/ARTSQ #spookyvibes #arthistory #dansemacabre #medievalart #history #skeletons #spookyseason #spooky #danceofdeath #medieval #middleages #historyofart #symbolism #autumn

The Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry is one of the most famous medieval manuscripts. This video is about the September calendar page, which shows peasants harvesting grapes, donkeys hauling baskets, and the Château de Saumur in the background. One detail even shows a peasant bending over, like he might moon us! This manuscript is a Book of Hours, and it blends images of daily life, zodiac symbolism, and feast days from the Catholic Church. Image: September, in the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry (c. 1412–16), Limbourg Brothers and later artists. Musée Condé, Chantilly, France. Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank 🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more videos about art history, history, and archaeology! It really helps our small channel, and we appreciate it. *CHAPTERS* 0:00 A September Day 600 years ago 0:24 Calendar pages of the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry 0:50 The Grape Harvest 1:30 Château de Saumur and Jean Duc de Berry 2:07 The zodiac signs and the lunette 2:41 Book of Hours 3:40 Limbourg Brothers 3:59 Glimpses into medieval life Learn more about Fall and Spooky Season: https://www.artsq.org/fall-and-spooky-season Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNSZVIXd3ZgTFRv9vHJKU8Q/join ---------------------------- *WANT TO LEARN MORE? HAVE A QUESTION?* http://artsq.org/ *INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING OUR WORK?* Become a patron to help us create materials for our channel! Patreon—https://www.patreon.com/ARTSQ *JOIN OUR COMMUNITIES ON SOCIAL* Instagram—https://www.instagram.com/artsq_official #medievalart #harvestseason #medieval #september #calendar #medievalarchitecture #arthistory #castle #gothicart #architecturalhistory #symbolism #historyofart #gothic #medieval

To project power, the Inka of the Andes crafted distinctive ceramics like the urpu. The Inka Empire stretched over 3,400 miles with more than 25,000 miles of roads, making it the largest empire in the Americas before the 16th century. Urpus stored and poured liquids like chicha, a corn beer central to feasts that reinforced alliances and authority. Each urpu made the Inka presence visible across the empire. This video explores what an urpu is and how they reveal the connections between art, ritual, and power in ancient Andean culture. It features an urpu with an insect design. Note: Inka can be spelled Inca (in Spanish). Inka is the Quechua spelling. Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank This video is perfect for anyone interested in: ✅ The Ancient Andes ✅ The Inka (Inca) ✅ Andean Archaeology ✅ Medieval Art ✅ Indigenous Artistic Traditions 🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more videos about art history, history, and archaeology! It really helps our small channel, and we really appreciate it. Join this channel membership to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNSZVIXd3ZgTFRv9vHJKU8Q/join *CHAPTERS* 0:00 The Inka Empire 0:45 Urpus 1:40 Decorating urpus 2:19 Their function Learn more about the Ancient Andes: https://www.artsq.org/ancient-andes Discover more about the global Middle Ages: https://www.artsq.org/medieval-world Check out our entire glossary of art history: https://www.artsq.org/about-key-terms-ideas-art-history ---------------------------- *SUPPORT OUR WORK?* Become a patron to help us create materials for our channel! Patreon—https://www.patreon.com/ARTSQ *WANT TO LEARN MORE? HAVE A QUESTION?* http://artsq.org/ *JOIN OUR COMMUNITIES ON SOCIAL* Instagram—https://www.instagram.com/artsq_official Facebook—https://www.facebook.com/ARTSQofficial #arthistory #peru #medievalart #archaeology #incas #historyofart #ceramics #medievalart #precolumbian #learningisfun #history #ancientperu #southamerica #worldhistory

Learn about the Wari civilization of ancient Peru in this video about a colorful ceremonial mirror. The Wari flourished between 650 and 1000 CE during the Middle Horizon period, long before the rise of the Inka Empire. Known for their love of color, symmetry, and intricate design, the Wari crafted extraordinary works in textiles, ceramics, featherwork, and mosaics. This rare Wari mirror, made of turquoise, pyrite (fool’s gold), and imported spondylus, reflects the empire’s power and wealth. Discover how this stunning Andean artifact reveals the Wari’s reach across diverse landscapes from coastal Ecuador to the highlands of Peru and why it was likely used by elites in ritual and ceremonial contexts. Note: An alternative spelling for Wari is Huari. Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank This video is perfect for anyone interested in: ✅ The Ancient Andes ✅ Andean Archaeology ✅ Medieval Art ✅ Indigenous Artistic Traditions 🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more videos about art history, history, and archaeology! It really helps our small channel, and we really appreciate it. Join this channel membership to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNSZVIXd3ZgTFRv9vHJKU8Q/join *CHAPTERS* 0:00 The Wari Empire and Wari art 0:48 A mosaic mirror 1:45 The mirror's imagery and meaning Learn more about the Ancient Andes: https://www.artsq.org/ancient-andes Discover more about the global Middle Ages: https://www.artsq.org/medieval-world Check out our entire glossary of art history: https://www.artsq.org/about-key-terms-ideas-art-history ---------------------------- *SUPPORT OUR WORK?* Become a patron to help us create materials for our channel! Patreon—https://www.patreon.com/ARTSQ *WANT TO LEARN MORE? HAVE A QUESTION?* http://artsq.org/ *JOIN OUR COMMUNITIES ON SOCIAL* Instagram—https://www.instagram.com/artsq_official Facebook—https://www.facebook.com/ARTSQofficial #arthistory #peru #medievalart #archaeology #wari #historyofart #mirror #ancientart #ancientamerica #learningisfun #history #ancientperu #southamerica #worldhistory

Ancient Mesopotamian votive statues were offerings created by the Sumerians during the Early Dynastic Period (c. 2900–2350 BCE). These small figures, like the standing male worshipper from the Square Temple at Eshnunna (modern Tell Asmar), were placed in temples and shrines as gifts to the gods. Votives are not unique to Mesopotamia. They appear across cultures, from Inka silver and gold figurines to Buddhist stone tablets to Christian icons and crowns. Learn more about what votives are in this video. This video is perfect for anyone interested in: ✅ Mesopotamia and Sumer ✅ Ancient civilization ✅ History of religion ✅ Ancient West Asia ✅ Art History Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank 🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more videos about art history, history, and archaeology! It really helps our small channel, and we appreciate it. *CHAPTERS* 0:00 Gifts for the gods 0:16 What is a votive? 0:55 A standing male worshipper figure from the Square Temple in Eshnunna (Tell Asmar) 1:27 Sumerian gods and votives 2:03 Votives in other traditions Check out our entire glossary of art history: https://www.artsq.org/about-key-terms-ideas-art-history Join this channel membership to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNSZVIXd3ZgTFRv9vHJKU8Q/join ---------------------------- *SUPPORT OUR WORK?* Become a patron to help us create materials for our channel! Patreon—https://www.patreon.com/ARTSQ *WANT TO LEARN MORE? HAVE A QUESTION?* http://artsq.org/ *JOIN OUR COMMUNITIES ON SOCIAL* Instagram—https://www.instagram.com/artsq_official Facebook—https://www.facebook.com/ARTSQofficial #mesopotamia #sumer #sumerian #arthistory #iraq #archaeology #ancienthistory #historyofart #mesopotamian #ancientart #ancientartifacts #learningisfun #history #socialstudies #worldhistory

Explore the history of the ancient Andes through ceremonial drinking cups called keros (keru vessels or queros), which appear frequently in Andean art. This video explores the significance of these cups in the ancient Americas, discussing their role in ritual and ceremony. It examines examples from cultures such as Tiwanaku, Sicán (Lambayeque), Chimú, and Inka (Inca), as well as from the Spanish colonial era. Speaker: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank This video is perfect for anyone interested in: ✅ The Ancient Andes ✅ Andean Archaeology ✅ Medieval Art ✅ Indigenous Artistic Traditions 🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more videos about art history, history, and archaeology! It really helps our small channel, and we really appreciate it. Join this channel membership to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNSZVIXd3ZgTFRv9vHJKU8Q/join *CHAPTERS* 0:00 What is a kero? 0:37 Forms, Designs, and Materials 1:22 Feasting in the Andes 1:54 Keru vessels and the Inka (Inca) Empire 3:00 Spanish colonial changes 🔴 Learn more about the Ancient Andes: https://www.artsq.org/ancient-andes 🔴 Discover more about the global Middle Ages: https://www.artsq.org/medieval-world 🔴 Check out our entire glossary of art history: https://www.artsq.org/about-key-terms-ideas-art-history ---------------------------- *SUPPORT OUR WORK?* Become a patron to help us create materials for our channel! Patreon—https://www.patreon.com/ARTSQ *WANT TO LEARN MORE? HAVE A QUESTION?* http://artsq.org/ *JOIN OUR COMMUNITIES ON SOCIAL* Instagram—https://www.instagram.com/artsq_official Facebook—https://www.facebook.com/ARTSQofficial #arthistory #peru #medievalart #archaeology #historyofart #cups #precolumbian #learningisfun #history #ancientperu #southamerica #worldhistory