Art has existed all throughout history. For example, these miniature boxwood carvings, are from the 16th century and they’re elegantly beautiful. The 500-year-old carvings are the size of a palm and feature religious iconography. Although researchers in the field aren’t entirely sure, they believe these works of art were made somewhere between 1500 and 1530 in the Netherlands or Flanders. They have long been a mystery to specialists but recent analysis has brought new insight to light.
The spheres were both hollowed out.
The x-rays showed that the artist skillfully carved four separate pieces for each half. When he pieced them back together, he hid the joints so well that they can only be seen by x-ray or microscope.
Layer 1 is the figure of Christ. Layer 2 is made up of 17 spikes inserted into hidden holes.
The curators and conservators weren’t able to discover how the figures are placed because the gold conceals the x-ray.
