3081 Items Tagged

History

A Hidden Caravaggio Masterpiece, An Inheritance Feud, and a Roman Villa up for Sale

The future of a mysterious painting by the famed 17th-century "rebel artist" hangs in the balance.

Monika Schmitter March 27, 2023

Bacalar, Mexico

Bacalar House of Culture

This city's cultural center is in a restored Spanish colonial home from the 1800s.

How Olive Oil and Coffee Came Together in a Cup

At first glance olives and coffee might seem to go together like, well, oil and water. But these Italian essentials possess deep cultural similarities—not to mention complementary flavors.

Sponsored by Starbucks

Zempoala, Mexico

Zona Arqueológica Cempoala

Palace, temple, and pyramid ruins mark the ancient Mesoamerican capital of Totonacapan.

The Forgotten Women Aquanauts of the 1970s

These scientists spent weeks underwater doing research—and convincing NASA women could also go into space.

Amy Crawford March 24, 2023

7 Recent Atlas Obscura Podcast Episodes You Just Have to Hear

For our two-year pod-iversary we're headed back to some of the coolest places we've taken you recently.

April White March 22, 2023

Beneath an Old Fireplace, Evidence of the Spirituality of the Enslaved

The finds are also enriching understanding of the formative years of famed abolitionist Harriet Tubman.

Line Sidonie Talla Mafotsing March 21, 2023

Who Was the Red Lady of Paviland?

The 33,000-year-old skeleton was taken from Wales two centuries ago—is it time for the bones to go home?

Ffion Reynolds and Jacqui Mulville March 20, 2023

8 Stories of Women Making History Right Now

This Women's History Month, we celebrate women doing extraordinary things all over the world.

April White March 17, 2023

objects of intrigue

Europe’s Oldest Map Shows Tiny Bronze Age Kingdom

Discovered in 1900, the Saint-Bélec slab languished unrecognized in a castle basement for over a century.

Frank Jacobs, Big Think March 17, 2023

Mexico City, Mexico

La Vasconia

Founded by a Basque immigrant, Mexico City's oldest bakery has a history dating back to 1870.

Finchingfield, England

Howe Street Witches Burial

Inside the Finchingfield Guildhall, two sticks that belonged to alleged witches in the 17th century.

This Sweet Shop in West Virginia Traces the Healing History of Candy

Susan Benjamin sells treats that were once considered medicine.

Alice Levitt March 14, 2023

Salvador, Brazil

Forte de Santo Antônio da Barra

This 17th-century Portuguese fort now houses a nautical museum.

Southern Cross, Australia

Yilgarn History Museum

This small museum celebrates the history of an Australian town known as the "Gateway to the Goldfields."

Washington, D.C.

Prospect House

An 18th-century townhouse that once hosted guests of the president.

Queens, New York

Knockdown Center

How a century-old glass factory in Queens became a concert venue and arts center.

‘Cockeyed’ Map Shows Both Glamour and Margins of 1930s Hollywood

Legendary cartoonist John Groth's pictorial map captures L.A.'s film factories in their Golden Age.

Frank Jacobs, Big Think March 10, 2023