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 Coral in salt This is a single coral skeleton, with preserved calyx and lateral packets.
Salt deposits precipitated from seawater. However, in the periods preceding or following this process, the sea could have been an environment for the development of various animal organisms. The coral in salt is, however, testimony to the “abuse” of laws by nature... |
Did you know that Theatre of Nature The complete novelty was an animal and plant landscape, no longer treated as a background or complement to the scene, but as a separate subject matter. This type of textile was called a verdure (French: verdure) from the word verdir, or “to paint in green”, because of the predominance of this colour. It is sometimes claimed that one of inspirations for this kind of woven depictions was the hunting preferences of clients , as they are often also described as tapestries “to admire hunting” (ad venationem spectantia peristromata) or “fighting animals” (pugnae ferarum). The plant and animal landscape as a separate subject matter initially appeared in tapestries, later in paintings (for example paintings by Roelant Savery, 1576–1639). Verdures created between 1553 and 1560 that are part of the collection of tapestries of Sigismund II Augustus are probably among the first examples of this subject matter in tapestry art. |
 “Trigoniainter Laevigata” bivalve Trigoniainter Laevigata bivalve belongs to the Trigoniidae family, which used to be rich in species and genera, and but at present is a relict. Fossilised specimens can be found in the deposits of the Jurassic and Cretaceous. |
Did you know that Multifunctional pitchfork and a non-obvious usage of a polypore A pitchfork, one of the basic tools used by peasants at work, for centuries was also used as a means of defence — it was used for fighting in the absence of regular weapons. Peasants, drafted into the army since the Middle Ages, had to procure their weapons themselves. Having no armour or... |
Did you know that Daylilies are not just flowers (In actual fact they are... The thing is, that in Polish, daylilies and crinoids bear the same name) Crinoids are one of the classes of animals that make up the phylum Echinodermata, which includes about 700 species of marine invertebrates, mainly found in deep waters. Their body resembles a goblet; they have five or more feathery arms, edged with feathery processes which contain their reproductive organs. There are also numerous tube feet placed on them, which perform a sensory function. The arms of the crinoids are equipped with so-called gutters, with tiny, hairy cell processes – the cilia – transporting food to the mouth. Their very characteristic internal skeleton makes thousands of extinct species extremely important Palaeozoic index fossils. |
 Impression of an insect (fossil dragonfly) in lithographic limestone The presented specimen is an impression of a fossil dragonfly of the species, Mesuropetala, preserved in lithographic limestone, which was found in Solnhofen, Germany. The specimen is 144–155 million years old. |
Did you know that Organic formula Nature, seemingly unpredictable, surprises us with its regularity, rhythm, and sometimes even the creation of geometric forms. Perfect ripples on the water, geese flying in a V-formation, mushrooms forming a circle in the forest - they arouse admiration, but the surprise at their discovery is greater. This impression results from the association of the sense of order being a property belonging solely to the human mind, and being the result of its production, in contrast to the irregularity which characterises the living world. However, this could not be more wrong. |
 Ammonite “Euaspidoceras paucituberkulatum Arkell” Presented ammonite is from the upper jurassic period. It is a very large and well-preserved type of this species. It have a flat spiral coiled shell, richly ornamented. |
 Sphalerite Presented specimen is unique because of the locus of occurrence holomorphic zinc and lead ores. It takes the form of fine-grained, dense masses, which, after surface polishing, are very effective - as in the case of our sphalerite. |
 Ichthyosaur’s teeth Presented specimens are fossils with separately preserved three teeth of Ichthyosaurus, dating back to the Upper Jurassic period, namely from —163 to —145 million years ago. |
 Calcite with marcasite Presented specimen is a dense and grainy aggregate of marcasite, on which surface grown the crystals of calcite. |
 “Rhabdocidaris nobilis” sea urchin Rhabdocidaris nobilis sea urchin is an extinct species of a regular echinoid which was one of the free-living sea echinoderms. Its name derives from the Greek words echinos – “hedgehog” and eidos – “figure”. |
 Calcite (“druse”) Calcite is a mineral of the carbonate class, also known as calcium carbonate. Its name derives from the Greek word chalix and the Latin word calx (calcis) – meaning “calcium”, which is a reference to the traditional application of this mineral. It develops isometric, plate, prism and needle crystals. |
 Grinder of a mammoth “Mammuthus Primigenius” The presented object is a grinder of a woolly mammoth (Mammuthus Primigenius) – an extinct herbivorous mammal of the elephantine family. |
 “Kidney-shaped” malachite Malachite is a mineral of the carbonate class, one of the most common minerals and it is widely spread throughout the Earth’s crust. From antiquity, it has been valued as an ornamental stone, amulet and as a medicine. Malachite has been used to produce jewellery, household goods, facing plates used for interior finishing, as well as green dyes and paints. |
 “Volutis pina casimiri” snail Volutis pina casimiri snail is a fossil of a snail of the Volutidae family encrusted by worms and bryozoans (a water invertebrate which formed colonies). The presented form is a kind of a fossilised natural cast, which was created when the softer parts of the organism became pickled. |
 Concentration of halite crystals Halite is a mineral from the halides group; its main component is sodium chloride (NaCl). A monomineral rock composed of halite constitutes halite rock salt, commonly known as rock salt.
The presented specimen has a historical nature and it comes from the Crystal Grotto in the Wieliczka Salt Mine. |
 Ferruginous quartz Quartz is a mineral belonging to the silicate group, mainly made of silicon dioxide. It is one of the most abundant rock-forming minerals present in the Earth’s crust. It is a brittle and transparent mineral. It can develop numerous colour variants, depending on its composition. It can be colourless, as well. Such quartz is called rock crystal. |
 Star-shaped quartz Quartz is a mineral belonging to the silicate group, mainly made of silicon dioxide. It is one of the most abundant rock-forming minerals present in the Earth’s crust. It is a brittle and transparent mineral. It can develop numerous colour variants, depending on its composition. It can be colourless, as well. Such quartz is called rock crystal. |
 The European roller The European roller (Coracias garrulus Linné, 1758 r.) is one of the rarest and most beautifully coloured birds in Poland. It is an insectivorous bird, specialized in hunting large insects — e.g. beetles. In our country, it lives in dry and warm habitats in a varied landscape, with fallow lands, meadows and a small area of arable land, among which single, old trees grow. |
