Ancient Art

The Dayton Art Institute houses an encyclopedic collection, spanning 5,000 years of art history. Some of the oldest works in the collection can be found in the Art of the Ancient Mediterranean World gallery. This gallery, located just off the Great Hall, features artworks from some of the best-known ancient cultures, including Egypt, Greece and Rome, as well as co-existing smaller cultures. Made in diverse styles, from realistic to abstract, the objects seen here served both daily needs, such as food and cosmetics, and expressed larger human aspirations—life after death and a connection with the divine.