Detail of Polychrome Pectoral with Griffins and Birds, Achaemenid and Colchian, first half of half of 4th century B.C. Image credit: Freer and Sackler Galleries.

NEW YORK.-The Institute for the Study of the Ancient World (ISAW) will present Wine, Worship, and Sacrifice: The Golden Graves of Ancient Vani. Wine, Worship, and Sacrifice: The Golden Graves of Ancient Vani features spectacular finds from four graves in Vani, a major religious and administrative center of ancient Colchis (present-day Republic of Georgia) and the setting for the story of Jason and the Golden Fleece. The exhibition, which is drawn from the collection of the Georgian National Museum, includes more than 130 objects from the graves, dating from the fifth and fourth centuries B.C. Together, these and other items reveal a fascinating tradition of cultural individuality and exchange, and help illuminate the complex interrelations among ancient cultures.

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Gold Headdress Ornament with openwork decoration. Vani, second half of 4th century B.C. Image credit: Georgian National Museum