Artery, AHR tuhr ee, is the name of the tubes or blood vessels through which blood is pumped away from the heart to the various parts of the body. The blood carried by most arteries is bright red because it has picked up oxygen while passing through the lungs. However, the blood that flows through the arteries connecting the right side of the heart with the lungs has not yet picked up oxygen. This blood has a brownish color. If an artery is cut, blood gushes out in spurts timed with the heartbeats. Veins differ from arteries because they carry the blood back to the heart instead of away from the heart. If a vein is cut, blood flows from it in an even stream.