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Objects Of Intrigue

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objects of intrigue

This Bowl Contained Sugar 'Not Made by Slaves'

An early version of ethical consumption.
Anne Ewbank July 19, 2018
Leeds, England

Horned Helmet of Henry VIII

The bizarre headgear looks like it was made for a fool, not a king.
objects of intrigue

Why Medieval Monasteries Branded Their Books

The fiery marks were a way to keep track of tomes on the move.
Jessica Leigh Hester June 22, 2018
objects of intrigue

Dozens of Mysterious 'Reserve Heads' Were Sealed in Ancient Egyptian Tombs

Over 30 have been found, but their function is unclear.
Hadley Meares June 4, 2018
objects of intrigue

Early Hackers Used Whistles From Cap’n Crunch Cereal Boxes

You can draw a line from the tiny toys to Apple Inc.
Anne Ewbank May 18, 2018
objects of intrigue

In England, Certain Royal Appointees Get to Carry Special Rods and Wands

They're all different colors, too.
Sarah Laskow May 16, 2018
objects of intrigue

How Ceiling Fans Allowed Slaves to Eavesdrop on Plantation Owners

The punkahs of the Antebellum era served many purposes.
Eve Kahn May 14, 2018
objects of intrigue

The Moldy Medallions That Preserve Penicillin's Past

Alexander Fleming, the researcher who discovered it, started culturing commemorative keepsakes.
Jessica Leigh Hester May 10, 2018
objects of intrigue

Greenland’s Hand-Sized Wooden Maps Were Used for Storytelling, Not Navigation

These distinctive artifacts are clues to how the Tunumiit people saw the world.
Hans Harmsen May 2, 2018
objects of intrigue

The Geekiest Cuff Links of 1900 Featured Little Images of Plague Bacteria

No one knows who made them or why.
Jessica Leigh Hester May 2, 2018
objects of intrigue

Why This Severed Hand Is So Glorious

According to legend, thieves could use it to render a whole household unconscious.
Wendy Pratt April 27, 2018
objects of intrigue

Go Medieval by Attaching a Book to Your Belt

They're incredibly rare today, but portable girdle books were once very handy.
Sarah Laskow April 19, 2018
objects of intrigue

Making Art for Bees

Michael Candy's Synthetic Pollenizer is "a sculpture for a different species."
Cara Giaimo April 17, 2018
objects of intrigue

How Better to Protest Federal Policy Than With an Embroidered Scorpion Demon?

Eleanor B. Roosevelt—no, not THAT Eleanor Roosevelt—thought the New Deal was monstrous.
Cara Giaimo April 16, 2018
objects of intrigue

See Yourself As You Truly Are in This Mysterious Metal Mirror

Made in Kerala, the "Aranmula kannadi" won't distort your reflection.
Savera John and Susan Paul July 6, 2022
objects of intrigue

Charles Manson's Guitar Is a Symbol of Music and Murder

One of the infamous killer's instruments is on display in Tennessee.
Eric Grundhauser April 5, 2018
objects of intrigue

These Fortune-Telling Tea Cups Made Divination Easy

"Many Curious Things I See, When Telling Fortunes In Your Tea."
Anne Ewbank April 4, 2018
objects of intrigue

The Victorian Cards That Explained How to Use a Book to Flirt

"Resting on right cheek: You are too willing."
Natasha Frost March 23, 2018