Animals have been used in art as metaphors since ancient times. Pre-historic cave paintings often featured animals which were thought to inspire good luck during hunting or for religious purposes. But it was perhaps during the Renaissance period that artists began to use animals to illustrate their own religious and mythological meanings. 

The inclusion of animals in paintings was often based on older symbolism, although these earlier meanings were often altered during the Renaissance to represent contemporary attitudes. Let’s take a closer look at some Renaissance masterpieces and see if we can spot the animals before working out what they might be supposed to represent.

Can you spot the goldfinch in Rafael's masterpiece? And what could it mean?

Images of birds often represented sacrifice, resurrection, the soul or death. The goldfinch was regularly used in Renaissance art and also symbolizes redemption and healing. It's all based on the biblical story when a goldfinch plucks a thorn from the crucified head of Christ, and a drop of blood falls on its head, leaving a red patch. Rafael uses this symbolism in his Madonna of the Goldfinch.

What might the serpent represent?

Snakes and other reptiles have often been used as symbols of evil, especially in the Christian iconography of the Renaissance era. In Albrecht Durer’s Fall of Man (also known as Adam and Eve), a snake is seen encouraging them to eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, resulting in their banishment from the Garden of Eden. However, reptiles can also represents rejuvenation because they are able to regrow severed tails and limbs.

What could this small, furry mammal mean?

The ermine has been a symbol of purity and chastity since ancient times, with the belief that this small creature would rather die than soil its white coat. However, in this Da Vinci masterpiece, the ermine may be less to do with chastity, as the subject Cecilia Galleriano already had a son. The ermine may represent her lover, Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan, who had been appointed to the chivalric Order of the Ermine by the King of Naples. 

Can you spot the sleeping dog? Do you know why it's there?

Dogs often appear as status symbols in Renaissance paintings - combined with a suggestion of fidelity or loyalty. In Titian’s Venus of Urbino, the dog is meant as a symbol of marital fidelity. 

Can you spot the strutting peacock? What could it mean?

The majestic peacock became a symbol of immortality in Christian art. It all stemmed from the belief that its flesh never decayed, which is why it can be found in large numbers of Renaissance nativity scenes. It serves as a reminder of the Resurrection and eternal life. The peacock’s flamboyant tail is also associated with pride and vanity, although this tends to be used with other subject matter.

The early age of aviation was dotted with firsts. The Wright Brothers first flights in 1903, Charles Lindbergh’s solo crossing of the Atlantic in 1927. But it is perhaps Earhart’s achievements that really define this golden age of aviation. 

Amelia Earhart was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic, making her journey in 1928. The feat won her international notoriety, and together with later accomplishments, the United States Distinguished Flying Cross. 

When Earhart made her crossing, women had only been able to vote in the US for 8 years. And even then, only women of certain status, race and position. That Earhart was able to achieve what she did at the time is truly remarkable. Her pioneering work for equal rights carried on when she became a faculty member at Purdue University as an advisor to aeronautical engineering and a career counselor to women students. She was also a member of the National Woman’s Party and supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment

These flight goggles are more than just a pair of eye protectors. They are a symbol of what can be achieved against the odds and with incredible bravery. They were worn by Earhart as she took part in the 1929 Women’s National Air Derby, one of the very first air races for women. 

In fact, such was her celebrity, they were taken from her plane during a stop at San Bernadino shortly after the race began – presumably by someone looking for a souvenir. They were later recovered, although the lenses were missing.

Today, these goggles, along with a program from the race and a note addressed to Earhart verifying her as the original owner can be seen in the Smithsonian, having been donated in 1957.

Have a look around the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington DC and see if you can find Earhart’s goggles. You might also be able to find her Lockheed Vega 5B. This was the plane she used both to fly solo non-stop across the Atlantic in 1932 and when she flew non-stop across the US. Both of these were also firsts for woman, highlighting what a truly incredible pioneer and aviator Earhart really was. 

History may sometimes be buried, but you can't keep it down. Digging into humanity's hidden past can bring insights that shape the future. Scroll on to discover five examples of archaeological discoveries which changed the world.

When Mount Vesuvius erupted in the summer of 79 AD, it buried the Roman town of Pompeii under a blanket of ash and volcanic debris. The pyroclastic flows moved so fast, and the temperature was so hot, that few of the town’s inhabitants survived, with many frozen forever in the molten rock. 

Excavations at Pompeii have provided us with a wealth of knowledge about Ancient Rome and the lives of everyday Romans. A large number of paintings, mosaics and other relics, as well as over 1,000 bodies, have been discovered at the site, giving us an unparalleled glimpse into life 2,000 years ago. With around a third of the site (22 hectares) still to be excavated, it’s likely that Pompeii has yet more secrets to reveal. 

Use the arrows to wander the streets of the ancient city, in the shadow of Vesuvius, for yourself.

The Rosetta Stone was discovered in the Nile Delta by Napoleon’s army in 1799. On Napoleon’s defeat, the stone became the property of the British Army and it was shipped to England in 1802. 

The unique thing about the Rosetta Stone is that it features the same text in three different scripts: Greek, Egyptian demotic, and Egyptian hieroglyphics. Because scholars could already read Greek, they were able to slowly decipher the hieroglyphics, unlocking the secrets of the Egyptians in the process.

Tutankhamun’s tomb was discovered by British archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922. King Tut came to the throne at about 8 or 9 and was just 18 or 19 when he died. He ruled Egypt between 1334 – 1325 BC. 

Because Tutankhamun’s tomb was virtually undisturbed when it was discovered, archaeologists were able to learn a huge amount about his life, family and beliefs. Relics from the tomb have been put on display in museums around the world, attracting huge crowds wherever they go.

The Dead Sea scrolls were discovered in the West Bank in 1946 and 1956. The ancient Hebrew manuscripts date from the last three centuries BC and the first century AD. The scrolls have huge religious and historical significance, containing works that went on to be included in the Hebrew bible.

Although many scrolls only survive in fragments, they provide scholars with vital information on linguistic and cultural development as well as an insight into the origins of the Bible. Some of the scrolls are written in Hebrew, some in Aramaic, and some in Greek.

One of the best-preserved examples of pre-Colombian Mayan civilisation in the world, Tikal is a veritable ancient metropolis, deep within the Tikal National Park, Guatemala. Click and drag to explore, and maybe even make it to the top of the famous Acropolis Norte.

The oldest buildings date to 400 BCE, but the city reached its thriving peak as the centre of the Mayan world in around 200 BCE. Local populations retained knowledge of the site for centuries, and archaeologists began to map and record the ruins from the 19th Century.