The 71st edition of the historic 'Ashes' cricket series is upon us as England host reigning champions Australia during the course of the next two months for the right to hold aloft a very tiny urn.
Neither England captain Joe Root not Tim Paine, his Australian counterpart, need any enlightenment on the significance of a series whose history dates all the way back to the late 1800s. But those of you not tuned into cricket but, nonetheless, have a passing fancy are likely to have some fun reading about its history and why it is such a big deal for players from both of these countries to hold a trophy that is all of 11 centimetres in height.
Granted, the urn is a very peculiar trophy to hand out. But as you will discover from this photo gallery we have put together for you, there are plenty other prizes across sports that are both weird and wonderful to look at.
To check out 14 of the most unconventional trophies, browse through the photo gallery above.
Analysis
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The Travel Diaries of Albert Einstein The Far East, Palestine, and Spain, 1922 – 1923
Editor Ze’ev Rosenkranz
Princeton
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
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