ERICH LESSING/ART RESOURCE , NY

LAP OF LUXURY. This golden bowl, dating to the 14th century B.C.E. and unearthed at the Canaanite city of Ugarit (Tell Ras Shamra), bears a relief of an archer (perhaps the king) standing in a chariot drawn by two horses. The archer, along with his dog, are hunting two deer, two bulls, and a cow with her calf. Although such beautiful treasures provide insight into the wealth of ancient elites, they tell archaeologists little about how ordinary people went about their daily lives.