How do we understand the initial period of contact between Europeans and Native Americans? An effective way of doing so is through the study of artifacts, including handicrafts, maps, printed documents, and other materials. This online collection from the Library of Congress features selections from over 3,000 rare items that are part of the institution's Jay I. Kislak Collection, and has been since December 2007. After reading the "About" area, visitors can click on the "Themes" area to find sections including Pre-Contact America and Explorations and Encounters. Each area contains remarkable items such as a dramatic map of 16th-century Istanbul, a depiction of the death of Moctezuma, and excerpts from Columbus's account of his 1492 voyage across the Atlantic. Furthermore, the Interactives area contains seven different media-rich experiences, including Reading Pre-Columbian Artifacts and The Buccaneers of America.