In Mexico, some art really moves right off the shelves.
Maquech brooches have women swarming to pick up one of the hottest accessories: live beetles covered in small gems that are worn as jewelry. The pet-cessories may seem shocking to some, but they're actually part of a centuries-old tradition that stems from the Mayans.
When the artists glue small, colorful gems onto the bugs, they also frequently add bits of gold trim chain, attaching a clip that can be used to wear the beetle on clothing.
While the unique live-art pieces are steeped in tradition, you might not want to try to bring them back to the United States. According to NBC Dallas-Fort Worth, one woman tried to cross the border from Mexico into Texas while wearing her little brooch friend and ended up getting detained by U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement officials. Evidently just because they're bedazzled doesn't mean they aren't still foreign animals. As the station noted, you must have appropriate paperwork to bring a living thing -- including pests -- into the country.
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Posted: 03/27/2012 5:30 pm Updated: 03/28/2012 9:26 am