Emre Turan

  Interesting Historical Artifacts That Will Transport You Back in Time the Moment You See Them Some ancient artifacts that have survived through the ages are powerful enough to transport you back in time the moment you lay eyes on them! Take a look at these historical wonders, both intriguing and peculiar, that will teleport you to the lands of civilizations that existed thousands of years ago! 👇 Ivory mask of Apollo, dating back 2,500 years. Considered one of the rarest looted artifacts ever found, it is believed to be crafted by Phidias, one of the greatest ancient Greek sculptors. Nut cutter that transforms into a dagger when flipped. (17th Century, India) Petroglyphs on a rock above the Mekong River in Pha Taem National Park. (Thailand, 2000 B.C.) Leopard-bodied guardian statue from the Tang Dynasty found in China. (618–907 A.D.) Ancient Roman tomb in Pamukkale, Turkey, slowly buried by calcium carbonate deposits. Stone coffin from Japan’s Kofun period containing iron armor a...

  Arnolfini Portrait: Wedding or Funeral? When delving into the details of the painting “The Arnolfini Portrait,” long thought to depict a wedding, we actually encounter a tragedy. The painting, belonging to the Belgian artist Jan van Eyck, features the artist’s friends Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini and Costanza Trenta, who tragically passed away giving birth a year before the painting’s date in 1433. This detail about Costanza adds a tragic context to the painting. Let’s explore the details further to trace the traces of this tragedy. The position of the couple holding hands: Arnolfini holding the open hand of his bride is interpreted as a gesture of him holding onto her while life slips away from her. When we take a closer look at the hands of the couple, what catches our eye is the ‘gargoyle,’ a symbol representing death. Let’s lift our gaze to the chandelier, we observe that Arnolfini’s candle is still burning, but Costanza’s candle has melted. Now, let’s focus on the dog looki...