Stone Rattlesnake at The British Museum, London

myminifactory

This vivid portrayal of a rattlesnake accurately captures many crucial anatomical features. The Aztecs skillfully carved lifelike sculptures of chosen reptiles, birds, and insects, indicating that their life cycles and habits were thoroughly observed. On this snake, the small round depressions on either side of the head between the nostrils and eyes are the external openings to highly sensitive heat detectors, enabling the snake to locate and strike its prey in complete darkness. The hole visible on the floor of the mouth is the trachea. In snakes, this is movable, allowing the snake to continue breathing while ingesting its prey by moving the trachea forward. The remnants of red pigment on the right nostril and mouth, as well as the red dots on the surfaces of the ventral coils, may hint at the colored skin of some species of rattlesnakes. The rattle consists of thirteen sections. Each time the snake sheds its skin, a new section is produced. This object is part of "Scan The World". Scan The World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, through which we are creating a comprehensive digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from across the globe for public access. Scan The World is an open-source community effort, if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help.