Table ornament, Wenzel Jamnitzer, 1549,  silver, h 99.8cm × d 46.0cm. BK-17040-A. Rijksmuseum Amsterdam.

This table ornament is an ode to the Earth and all that it brings forth, as well as an unsurpassed display of artistic and technical skill. The stem of the dish represents Mother Earth. She is surrounded by flowers, herbs and small animals – all cast from specimens collected in the wild. The lives of actual animals were sacrificed to model the young grass snakes and lizards.