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History

Early soaps were produced here out of olive oil, potash, lime, and water.

Found: A 1200-Year-Old Olive Oil Soap Factory in the Negev Desert

Excavations in Rahat also turned up ancient board games.

Claire Voon August 27, 2020

Sigtuna, Sweden

Sigtuna Rådhus (City Hall)

A tiny town hall—in Sweden's one-time capital—might be the smallest in Europe.

One of the best preserved charity stones in Istanbul, outside the İmrahor Mosque in the Üsküdar district.

The Forgotten Stones That Still Inspire Turks to Help Their Neighbors

A tradition of anonymous charity lives on in the age of COVID-19.

Jennifer Hattam August 24, 2020

Two workers blend a tiger nut mixture for cakes in this painting from the tomb of a vizier.

Recreate the Ancient Egyptian Recipes Painted on Tomb Walls

Make bread fit for a pharaoh and a sweet treat out of tiger nuts.

Jess Eng August 21, 2020

James Baldwin worked on his first novel in Paris, and he ultimately spent decades living in France.

The Hidden Histories of Black Americans in Paris

Follow in the footsteps of James Baldwin, Josephine Baker, and Langston Hughes.

Karen Chernick August 21, 2020

The shore of Dead Horse Bay, photographed in 2015, is known for its trash.

New York's Favorite Trash-Strewn Beach Is a Wee Bit Radioactive

The National Park Service has closed a portion of Dead Horse Bay.

Jessica Leigh Hester August 20, 2020

These woodcuts are from the <em>Decameron</em>, a collection of novellas in which young people fleeing plague-ridden Florence tell stories that often provide accounts of life during the pandemic.

In 14th-Century Florence, Some Residents Socially Distanced While Others Hit the Bars

A contemporary debate would feel familiar to Europeans alive when the Bubonic plague arrived.

Rachel Ashcroft August 19, 2020

The Laurens Run, named for the path the revolutionary colonel took to his death, will be part of the Liberty Trail network.

military history

The Death Site of John Laurens, Friend to Alexander Hamilton, Was a Mystery—Until Now

The 18th-century soldier, statesman, and abolitionist was also a character in the hit musical 'Hamilton.'

Isaac Schultz August 19, 2020

The Museum Where Racist and Oppressive Statues Go to Die

Germany has found ways to display problematic monuments without elevating them.

Daniela Blei August 14, 2020

The former samurai who bred Japan's first apple, the "Indo" variety pictured here, named it after the state of Indiana.

How Former Samurai and Farmers Cultivated the First Japanese Apples

Famous fruits, including the Fuji apple, were the result of decades of effort.

Emily Warren August 14, 2020

The Avrocar hovered, but never really lifted off in a big way.

Take to the Skies With These 9 Gravity-Defying Sites in Ohio

50 States of Wonder

<em>The Art of Cookery Made Plain And Easy</em>, a 1777 cookbook included in the database, "which far exceeds any Thing of the Kind yet published," was popular in Britain and the American colonies. Its author, Hannah Glasse, was one of the first famous female cookbook authors.

A Database of 5,000 Historical Cookbooks Is Now Online, and You Can Help Improve It

It took Barbara Ketcham Wheaton more than 50 years to compile The Sifter.

Reina Gattuso August 13, 2020

Carbis Bay, England

Knill's Steeple

A quirky mausoleum celebrated once every five years with young dancing girls, widows, a tax man, and more.

Fort A Site

Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Fort A Site

This former Union fort commands a fine view of downtown Cape Girardeau and the Mississippi River.

9-11 Remembrance Garden

Winslow, Arizona

9-11 Remembrance Garden

This memorial includes fragments from one of the greatest tragedies in United States history.

Hob Moor and Plague Stones

Hob Moor and Plague Stones

When the plague struck York, this stone was used to leave supplies for the sick.

Why Do Tennis Crowds Have to Be So Quiet?

The game's long, weird, elitist history provides some clues.

Dan Nosowitz August 11, 2020

Piscataway, New Jersey

East Jersey Old Town Village

A historic town sits upon the site of a long-lost 18th-century trading community.