2. Below is one of the first things I ever saw in an art museum that blew my mind out of its skull and splattered all over the gallery. It's a rosary bead, about two inches in diameter, featuring an incredibly detailed and delicate carving of the crucifixion. If you get in close on this sucker, the lance and spears are as fine as hair. Think of the poor 16th Century Dutch monk working on this ish. Probably by candlelight and stuff. There's a fair amount to be said for ascetism sometimes. I mean, I'm gonna leave that to the monks, but it's nice that someone's taking advantage of it.
3 and 4. Here we see an example of what sentimental emo bastards they were back in medieval times. Medieval peeps were way into courtly love, religion, and death. They would probably be all about My Chemical Romance and shit if they knew about it. They were NOT so into bathing and living away from vermin, which caused all kinds of problems, but fed into the whole death thing in a big way, so maybe it worked out for them.
ANYWAY, while they were all courtin' and prayin' and dyin' and stuff, they made stuff that looked like this. It's a rosary terminal bead featuring two young lovers. Ahn. The couple probably got this as a wedding present to celebrate their union before God, and, judging by the big-ass emerald hanging off it, also celebrating the fact that they were completely baller.
But wait! When you turn the bead around...
WHAT THE CRAP? THAT IS NOT AHN. THAT IS ANTI-AHN.
So, here ya go newlyweds. You're all young and purty and godly now, but you'll be worm food in no time. Memento mori, bitches. It's a THING.
5. See also, this thing below. I mean, really with the half-rotted face? Get thee to a Hot Topic and cry about it already.
6. Nice knockers.
