On this day, 10 March 1920, the El Bordo mine fire occurred in Pachuca, Mexico, which killed dozens of miners. The fire broke out at 6 AM, and there was a brief evacuation period before the mine shafts were sealed shut. Officials of the United States Smelting, Refining and Mining Company claimed that after the evacuation fewer than 10 workers remained inside, all of whom were declared to be dead by company doctors. When the mine was finally reopened six days later, it was clear that the company had been lying. Inside were the charred bodies of 87 miners: many of whom had reached the exit of the mine, but were burned to death as they were unable to leave. Miraculously, seven miners had even managed to survive despite being trapped underground. As in almost all historical examples of corporations killing their workers, no bosses were prosecuted or punished. https://www.facebook.com/workingclasshistory/photos/a.296224173896073/1669169899934820/?type=3
Faience Amulet in the Form of a Lion-Headed Goddess
Egypt, 1070–664 B.C., Third Intermediate Period
This amulet represents a lion-headed goddess on an open worked throne. With her right hand she is holding a sistrum (a musical instrument like a rattle) that is topped by a double ba-bird. Her other hand clenches a papyrus-scepter that symbolizes regeneration and life. A number of lion-headed goddesses are known from ancient Egypt, such as Sakhmet, Bastet, and Wadjet, and it is unclear, which one is represented here. Each side of the throne depicts a lion-headed goddess with a sun disk on her head. Behind her is a snake god with human arms and legs, who is linked to stellar decans. Above the snake’s head and in front of the lion headed goddess are short columns of text that presumably give their names; but unfortunately they are undecipherable. All feline deities are closely connected to the sun god Ra and at the top of the large figure, between her ears, is a small hole that originally must have held a separately manufactured sun disk. The loop at the top of the amulet was meant for suspension. The Egyptians believed that amulets like this one evoked the power of the goddess and put the wearer under her protection.
