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.
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.
A Downed WWII Fighter Plane
During the second world war, fighter planes were the most common for air invasions. However, these planes were usually easy to take down and were virtually guaranteed to crash at some point. Americans used Tomahawk fighting planes, while the British used the Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk. These planes reached speeds of almost 400 miles per hour and were able to fly up to 240 miles at a time.
The crashed Kittyhawk in the picture above was spotted accidentally in the Sahara Desert after laying there for over five decades. The plane was discovered by a Polish oil company worker in early 2012 and is believed to belong to the 24-year-old Flt Sgt Dennis Copping. He crashed more than 200 miles from any human settlement and, unfortunately, probably died on the spot.
This Beautiful Boxwood Miniature, Created More Than 500 Years Ago in the Netherlands
Some artists take a painstaking amount of time to perfect their artwork. This is impressive today, but even more so when speaking of artwork from over five centuries ago. This piece represents the crucifixion of Christ and shows the brutality of the Romans' treatment, as well as the religious leaders of the time.
We can't begin to fathom how long it must have taken to make this piece of art, as every little detail was meticulously honed to perfection. Researchers believe that this kind of art was a symbol of wealth back in the 16th century. Most box carvings were based on depictions of various religious events, which is why they were done with such passion and care.