One of the most respected professions that has nearly disappeared from the earth is that of a blacksmith. Today’s advancements in technology make it impossible to make a living as a blacksmith unless you’re willing to learn how to monetize your work online. Blacksmiths of the old days were taught by apprenticeship and spent decades honing and mastering their craft.
If you’re looking for an example of the kind of skill performed by blacksmiths, look no further than this 16th-century German axe. It’s quite perplexing how much time and talent went into a tool mainly used to cut down trees. This short axe is filled with beautiful carvings along its blade and flowery ornaments across its handle. It was most likely presented to a royal or socialite family to use as a weapon in battle.
These Ancient Egyptian Sandals
Ancient Egyptians wore almost exclusively sandals in the Egyptian hot deserts. These sandals were discovered not so long ago, and they were attributed to the late King Tutankhamun, who presided over Egypt many centuries ago. It is said that King Tut would trample on his enemies wearing his sandals.
King Tut’s sandals featured incredible carvings and decorations at every which angle. If you’re ever in the market for new sandals, today you can search through eBay and get the same kind of shoes worn by King Tutankhamun. In his time, these took weeks to handcraft. To be fair, you can't bash the handiwork - they've lasted over three THOUSAND years.
This Ottoman Train
You may be familiar with the 1962 "Lawrence of Arabia" epic drama film, but what you probably don’t know is that many of the feats portrayed by the British archaeologist in the film were not just real but also understated.
One example of this relates to the time Lawrence spent toppling Ottoman trains in the Middle East. It’s believed that Lawrence and his gang managed to sabotage so many supply trains that the Ottoman Empire was left without them. However, a recent discovery shows that a handful of Turkish trains found abandoned in the middle of the desert had actually been left there by the Ottomans, who had simply left them behind to rot.
This Victorian-Era Elevator from 1890
Elevators give the appearance of a recent invention, but while today’s modern elevators are indeed quite recent, the concept of using a booth to go up and down has been around for decades. Elevators have basically existed even during medieval times in a very primitive form.
The first “true” elevators were created sometime around the late 19th century, during the Victorian Era. They used steam and hydraulic systems as a way to go up and down and included beautiful architecture and designs from the period. The technology eventually progressed, as today’s elevators are almost entirely electrical. However, they have lost their artistic features along the way.
This Bat Lantern was Made in the 1930s
Up until the early 20th century, most people still believed in everything from ghosts to demons. This religious and faith-based nature made creatures such as bats a lot scarier than they are today, as they carried deep mythological significance at the time.
This hand-sculpted torch was created in honor of an older version of Halloween. It shows a bat spreading its wings and kind of looks like a Batman logo. Its torso is made to split open and light a fire inside before hanging it on a wall to illuminate a gloomy stairwell. They sure don’t make them like they used to.