The green stone mask shown in the picture below dates back more than 2,000 years ago. It was discovered in 2011 by researchers in Mexico who were investigating the base of a pyramid. The Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacán, Mexico, got its name from the Aztecs. This ancient civilization was a lot more advanced than we had originally believed.
The Aztecs had access to many technologies and rituals which have only been discovered in the last few centuries. These let them carve rock into beautiful sculptures like this unique mask, even before the tools for such creations were invented.
A 4.5 Billion Years Old Meteor
Some people occasionally stumble upon a $5 bill. What you don’t expect to find on the ground, though, is a 4.5 billion-year-old meteor made out of pallasite. About two decades ago, an anonymous hitchhiker was traveling across Fukang in Xinjiang, China, when he suddenly stumbled upon this extraordinary mass from space.
This beautiful rock is now known as the Fukang Meteorite. It is covered with pieces of olivine crystals and embedded in an iron-nickel matrix. Scientists aren’t exactly sure where this came from, but they do know that it’s extremely valuable. The meteorite weighs slightly over a ton, and just a few grams of its crystals are worth over $500.
This Fireman Bicycle
Up until the ‘30s, whenever a fire broke out, firemen had to drive around on funny-looking bicycles and use their legs to get around. These men used to patrol around the city and look for fires with the hope of catching them before they began spreading.
Firemen’s bicycles were equipped with a long hose that could attach to a water source. In addition, a small harness crowbar holster was also attached to allow quick entry into buildings by breaking down doors. According to some relevant sources, this bike originates from the workshops of Birmingham Small Arms in Great Britain.
Petra, the Famous Archaeological Site, Was Carved From Pure Sandstone
It's hard to imagine that the entire wall of Petra was carved by hand on a wall of sandstone. It's an archaeological site that's matched by no other and remains one of Jordan's key attractions for travelers. The area was inhabited as early as 7,000 BC, and the landmark was likely made around 2,000 BC. It was the home of the ancient settlers, the Nabataeans.
The Nabataeans constructed Petra using their master skills in crafting and building. Their city was the epitome of architecture. Historians are baffled to this day regarding how exactly they pulled it off. Unfortunately, most of this area was destroyed during an earthquake in the 6th century. At least the most impressive architecture there survived and can still be visited today.
This Butterfly Brooch Created During the Victorian Era
People have worn jewelry for as long as civilization has existed and mostly used it as a symbol of royalty, wealth, and status. Nowadays, jewelry is much more accessible and is worn by almost everybody. During the Victorian Era, enormous changes happened in the jewelry industry, as many aesthetic revolutions happened during this time.
Another major shift happened on the economic side, as factories were opening at rates never before seen, which caused the jewelry markets to boom. Brooches were all the rage during the Victorian Era and featured everything from insects to flowers. This beautiful butterfly brooch is just one example of the careful artwork present during these times.