A great and early civilization arose on the subcontinent of South Asia that in time spread northward to the Himalayan region and eastward to Southeast Asia, a vast area including Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Myanmar.

This resource introduces works of art from this area selected from the superb South and Southeast Asian and Islamic collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Included are examples of Buddhist and Hindu temple art and the later court arts of South Asia; these range from miniature painting and luxurious textiles to elegant personal possessions. As well as descriptions of the visual qualities and symbolic meanings of the art, also provided are a summary of South and Southeast Asian history, a section about Buddhism and Hinduism, classroom activities, and lesson plans.