Table Lamp
A gift for Joseph Stalin on his 70th birthday
from a citizen of Brazil, 1949
The table lamp made of armadillo
shell and snake skin perfectly shows
the Latin-American zest.
The armadillos, or as they are called in Brazil, the “pocket
dinosaurs,” are a unique species: one of the oldest mammals on
the face of the earth who even lived among the dinosaurs. The
armadillo meat tastes like pork and is considered to be a
delicacy in the Latin-America. The armadillo shells are used
for making souvenirs and national musical instruments.
Armadillos —
the pocket
dinosaurs
In moments of danger these small animals turn into
a ball, looking much like a football. In Latin-America
children often play football with the ones they can get hold of.
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This made it possible to use the armadillo for
another purpose: it was selected as the mascot for
the 2014 football world championship in Brazil.