For one or two semester/quarter courses on Introduction to the Humanities or Cultural Studies. Arts and Cultures provides an introduction to global civilizations and their artistic achievements, history, and cultures. The authors consider two important questions: What makes a work a masterpiece of its type? And what qualities of a work enable it to be appreciated over time? Using an integrated approach to the humanities, Arts and Culture helps students make connections across the humanities disciplines, across cultures and across time through the aesthetic principles that link all of us together. Volume 1 contains literature selections at the end of each chapter.