Ancient Artifacts

[panchito]

Not really ancient but here you go. This is a very unique cross from Ethiopia.
View attachment 4201
"This cross was created in the province of Tigray, near the Red Sea, the birthplace of Ethiopia's earliest kingdom and of Christianity in Africa. A small corpus of Ethiopian Christian works from before the seventeenth century has survived."

"It has been attributed to Ezra (ca. 1460-1522), a member of the Stephanite monastic order. The Stephanites came to be recognized as the foremost carvers of crosses and illuminators of manuscripts. During a period of the order's exile in Egypt, Ezra is reputed to have enhanced his training as a craftsman and learned the technique of marquetry. It has been suggested that he may have produced this work at the Gunda Gunde monastery, renowned for its manuscripts."

"In the Ethiopian church, the wooden cross is perceived as having been sanctified by Christ's blood, which conferred upon it infinite power to heal and to bless. Foliate and organic interlace designs, branching from the foot of the cross, are interpreted as symbolizing the Tree of Paradise, and thus a vibrant life-giving force. Commissioned by Ethiopian royalty, such works were presented to important monasteries to be carried in liturgical processions."

rare case of niggers using symmetry

 

[panchito]

View attachment 4270
The Roman dodecahedron is supposedly considered to be the original Swiss army multi-tool.

other than smashing barbarian's heads in what else would have this been useful for

View attachment 4313
Roman amulet from the 2nd century AD.

 

[1Based Frog1]

other than smashing barbarian's heads in what else would have this been useful for

A recent theory suggests they used them to knit wool gloves.