Ceramic detail, Tilla Kari madressa, Registan Square, Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Central Asia

The 65 metre tall Minaret of Jam, built by Sultan Ghiyat Ud-Din Muhammad ben San, in around 1190, with Kufic script and verses of the Koran on the exterior, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ghor Province, Afghanistan, Asia

Interior of Tomb of Khai Dinh, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hue, Thua Thien-Hue, Vietnam, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Statue of Khai Dinh at Tomb of Khai Dinh, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hue, Thua Thien-Hue, Vietnam, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Brightly coloured fishing boats at the port of Negombo, Sri Lanka, Asia

The Maneki-neko (Welcoming Cat) (Lucky Cat) (Money Cat) (Fortune Cat), a Chinese symbol in Seine-et-Marne, France, Europe

Monk holding Buddhist prayer book, Rumtek Gompa, Gangtok, Sikkim, India, Asia

Tibetan script carved in rock face, Lhasa, Tibet, China, Asia

One of two early 12th century minarets built by Sultan Mas'ud 111 and Bahram Shah, that served as models for the Minaret of Jam, decorated with square Kufic and Noshki script, Ghazni, Afghanistan, Asia

The 65 metre tall Minaret of Jam, built by Sultan Ghiyat Ud-Din Muhammad ben San, in around 1190, with Kufic script and verses of the Koran on the exterior, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ghor Province, Afghanistan, Asia

The minaret of Bahram Shah, one of two minarets built by Sultan Mas'ud III and Bahram Shah with square Kufic and Noshki script, that served as models for the minaret of Jam, and believed to have originally been part of mosques, Ghazni, Afghanistan, Asia

The minaret of Sultan Mas'ud III, one of two minarets built by Sultan Mas'ud III and Bahram Shah with square Kufic and Noshki script, that served as models for the minaret of Jam, and believed to have originally been part of mosques, Ghazni, Afghanistan, Asia

Detail of tilework on the Friday Mosque or Masjet-eJam, built in the year 1200 by the Ghorid Sultan Ghiyasyddin on the site of an earlier 10th century mosque, Herat, Herat Province, Afghanistan, Asia

Detail of decoration on minaret dating from 12th century, including Kufic inscription in turquoise glazed tiles, Minaret of Jam, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ghor (Ghur, Ghowr) Province, Afghanistan, Asia

Detail of the Friday Mosque (Masjet-e Jam), Herat, Afghanistan, Asia

Hindola Mahal or Swinging Palace in the Royal Enclave, Mandu, Madhya Pradesh state, India, Asia

Indian woman comes to collect cow dung from herd of cattle at Jhupidiya Village in Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan, Northern India

The Taj Mahal mausoleum east side calligraphy of teachings from the Koran in Arabic writing on large pishtaq arch, Uttar Pradesh, India

Sign in Indian script and English for Chet Singh Ghat with mynah birds and pigeons roosting in niches in holy city of Varanasi, India

Close-up of Buddhist texts, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Shanghai, China, Asia

Girl drawing Japanese script

Detail of a banner on the wall of a traditional house in the Red Yao village of Huangluo, China.

One of many marble slabs containing text and commentary from the Tripitaka, Kuthodaw Pagoda, Mandalay, Myanmar, (Burma)

A young nun studying, Sakyadhita Thilashin Nunnery School, Sagaing, near Mandalay, Myanmar, (Burma)

Monument to the Mongolian State Seal, sculpture of a tiger, writing in old Mongolian script, Ulaanbator, Mongolia

Children cycling past the monument to the Mongolian State Seal, sculpture of a tiger, writing in old Mongolian script, Ulaanbator, Mongolia

Priest writing ancient Dongba script, hands, Dongba Research Center at the Black Dragon Pool, Lijiang, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China, Asia

Priest writing ancient Dongba script, hands, Dongba Research Center at the Black Dragon Pool, Lijiang, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China, Asia

Bagan Restaurant sign with Burmese script, Nyaung U, Bagan, Pagan, Burma, Myanmar, Asia

Taiwan, Taipei, Asia

I Wanna Bangkok street sign in the Song Wat Area of Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand