An ivory carving of a skull and snake that is incredibly realistic
This beauty was made around 1860 and it is a very thorough recreation of a snake sitting atop a human skull. According to the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, where the piece now resides, it was meant to serve as a weight. Who knew weights could be this fancy? Keep on reading to learn more about this amazing sculpture.
This carving was produced in Japan and the artist is unknown. It may be made out of ivory, but it looks like a real skull. You can see the lines where the bones were fused together, called sutures, and it even has some missing teeth. The snake’s thousand little scales are further evidence that whoever carved this weight was masterfully skilled.