An ancient Greek statue of a woman seemingly using a laptop has sparked time travel theories online.
"Grave Naiskos of an Enthroned Woman with an Attendant" is a 37-inch marble statue created around 1000 BC and shows a woman opening a laptop-like item as it's held up by an attendant.
The item has two surfaces opened at a 90-degree angle, resembling a laptop.
It also has two holes in the side of it, prompting theories that it could be a USB port or headphone jack- thus "proving" time travel is real.
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Because the statue depicts a woman opening the laptop-like item, many are convinced the ancient Greeks were time traveling.
But according to the Getty Collection, there is a reasonable explanation for the item.
The item the woman is opening is actually a shadow box used in funerary by ancient Greeks.
Apparently, the statue is depicting a deceased woman reaching for the shadow box held by her attendant. This "has a long history in Greek funerary art," according to the Getty Collection.
It's unclear if the attendant represents a young family member in mourning or a servant or enslaved person. But the Getty Collection notes that the deceased woman came from a wealthy family.
As for the USB-like holes:
"The two holes apparent on its base are evidence of an ancient repair, perhaps in the form of two metal pins intended to hold a now lost marble component in place. The thinness of the box indicates that, like many works of ancient art, this relief was not intended as a photographic depiction of reality, but to convey the wealth and status of the deceased."
Alas, the statue does not depict the possibility of time travel.
The statue is currently available for viewing at the Getty Villa in Los Angeles, California.
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