kaberett on geology....

[conuly]

Here is the story about that icon: it is a lump of malachite on display in the Natural History Museum, London, in the minerals gallery, where it has clearly been for decades, having been collected by a (presumably) Victorian geologist who went "hurr hurr hurr it's a dick". And then put on display by a bunch of curators who were evenly split between "hurr hurr hurr it's a dick, better not mention in case someone decides it's Inappropriate" and "... oh goodness do you suppose anyone else has not-- no I can't POSSIBLY say anything!"

Context has quite an interesting icon.

Comments

[frith]

It is nature. Malachite is a carbonate (like limestone is a carbonate) and is formed via the weathering of copper ores. The dissolved copper carbonate precipitates out in layers, making the green banded patterns that gives malachite it's beauty. Some malachite structures are stalactites, thus the penile shape.

[lea_hazel]

Thanks.