Mani; founder of the third-century C.E. religion Manichaeism; stands before his elect followers in this wall painting (now lost) from a Manichaean sanctuary; discovered in the early 20th century in Khocho; in the Sinkiang region of northwestern China.

Behind Mani in this eighth-century painting is a crescent moon encircling a white sun disk鈥攑erhaps a symbol of the Realms of Light and of Darkness that make up the Manichaean universe. The elect are arrayed by age; with the clean-faced youths at top and the mature; bearded men at bottom. Pictures From History