#artefactporn

[blondebrainpowered]

Cat paw prints in the medieval floor tiles of the 12th century CE St Peter Church in Wormleighton, England.

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Inuit scrimshaw whale tooth carved with depictions, 19th century, Alaska

[tamrudraws]

masked creature design inspired by this artifact i found on r/artefactporn

[basi1isks]

Medieval gold ring with heraldic motifs of a dragon, 15th century, made in Dubrovnik. Collection of National Museum of Serbia in Belgrade (x)

[blondebrainpowered]

A dress made of cotton muslin, gilded metal thread and Indian jewel beetles (sternocera aeqisignata), Britain, 1868-1869 CE. Over 5000 beetle wings or parts of wings were used to decorate this dress.

Now housed at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

[blondebrainpowered]

Lover's Eye Bracelet - ca. 1860, probably British, watercolor on ivory set in a gold bracelet.

[blondebrainpowered]

Lakota/Teton Sioux dress made by Ah-ho-appa, daughter of Spotted Tail, ca. 1870. In the Met Museum collections

Vertical lanes of beadwork, in place of the typical horizontal configuration, give this dress its distinctive character. The U-shaped motif at the lower center represents Turtle, a symbol of power relating to women’s health. Like most bead workers in the mid-nineteenth century, this maker favored tiny glass Venetian seed beads over the larger pony beads popular in earlier periods. Today, women wear elaborately beaded dresses reminiscent of this one for the Women’s Traditional Dance, one of several categories in powwow competitions.

Geography: Possibly made in North Dakota, United States; Possibly made in South Dakota, United States

Culture: Lakota/ Teton Sioux, Native American

Medium: Tanned leather and glass beads

[blondebrainpowered]

Smoking Suit, England, ca. 1880.

Silk velvet with silk cord trim.

In the 1880s, a smoking suit was a luxurious, informal garment worn by men after formal dinner to protect their formal clothes from smoke and provide comfort. These suits, often featuring smoking jackets were made from velvet or silk, and featured a collar, cuffs, and a button closure. They were often decorated with intricate embroideries and came in a variety of colours, including deep reds, greens, and blues. They were designed for relaxation in private settings like a smoking room or gentlemen's club. They were frequently associated with rich and exotic fabrics. Smoking suits, jackets, and caps were designed to keep the smell of tobacco, said to be offensive, particularly to the ladies, off the gentleman’s person. As smoking became more widespread, so did the popularity of the smoking suit. It was soon adopted by men of all classes and became a symbol of luxury and sophistication.