Swedish archaeologists have uncovered signs of a Viking precursor to Mickey Mouse. Among the objects found during excavations at Uppåkra in southern Sweden is an iron age figure bearing a strong resemblance to the classic cartoon character.
But archaeologist Jerry Rosenberg from Lund University is confident that the bronze brooch - used as a clasp to fasten women's clothing - was in fact intended to represent a Lion King rather than a mere mouse.
"The find is from around 900 AD. It was probably a lion's head that originally came from France. It was however more than likely designed by somebody who had never actually seen a lion.
"Instead it turned into this sort of strange, fantasy animal," he told The Local.
You realize what this means, don't you? Disney didn't create the first Mickey Mouse! They can't claim the copyright!
They owe Sweden 500 billion dollars in back pay!
5 comments:
If prehistoric Disney made sex toys...
That was totally my first thought too! I saw the photo and thought, a thousand years has to make it public domain by now.
Lol, mapaghimagsik! I'm assuming that the piece has lost a bit of decoration over the years and wasn't so ... plug-like...
whig, now we just have to find out if Walt Disney ever went to Sweden....
Not Sweden, but here's an interesting connection:
In 1925, Hugh Harman drew some sketches of mice around a photograph of Walt Disney. These inspired Ub Iwerks to create a new mouse character for Disney called Mickey Mouse.[2] The first few Mickey Mouse cartoons were animated almost entirely by Iwerks.
Ub Iwerks' family was from Northern Germany... which is sort of near Sweden...
Close enough! Let's sue!
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