From the dawn of human history, our defining characteristic has been our talent for making things, from basic technology and everyday objects like bowls and hand axes to high-tech inventions such as supersonic jets, smart devices, and Mars rovers.

Objects reveal much about a civilization, telling us how our ancestors lived, what they believed in, and what they valued. A bronze cat mummy shows us the extent to which the ancient Egyptians cherished their feline companions, while a toy mechanical tiger tells the story of the escalating tensions between an Indian sultan and European colonizers.

Civilization unveils a treasure trove of fascinating artifacts—from prehistory to the present, from the ordinary to the extraordinary—revealing the history of the world's civilizations throughout the ages.