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Res Obscura
Onfim's world Child artists in history
4 months ago
Classical Wisdom
Electra: Powerful or Pathetic? Which Playwright did it better?
a year ago
TheCollector
Discover Caral-Supe: The Cradle of Civilization in the Americas Cradles of civilization are regions where humans developed complex social systems independently....
2 months ago
77
2 months ago
Cradles of civilization are regions where humans developed complex social systems independently. There are six accepted cradles of civilization: Egypt, India, Mesopotamia, China, Olmec, and Caral-Supe. The first societies all formed around agriculture. The Caral-Supe, who emerged...
Open Culture
Read J. R. R. Tolkien’s “Letter From Father Christmas” To His Young Children (1925) J.R.R. Tolkien is best known for the sweeping fantasy landscapes of Lord of The Rings and The...
8 months ago
108
8 months ago
J.R.R. Tolkien is best known for the sweeping fantasy landscapes of Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit. Apart from being a celebrated author, the Oxford University professor of Anglo-Saxon was also a devoted father who doted on his children. In 1920, a few short years after Tolkien...
TheCollector
Painting vs. Sculpture: The Renaissance Battle for Supremacy in Art It seems like humans always need to know who or what is the best in any category. Renaissance people...
4 months ago
51
4 months ago
It seems like humans always need to know who or what is the best in any category. Renaissance people were no different. A quest to find the superior art between painting and sculpture led to lengthy discussions about the purpose of art and the limits and qualities of each medium....
weird medieval guys
The coolest medieval woman you've never heard of Christine de Pizan on Circe, Medusa, and other virtuous ladies
over a year ago
Open Culture
How Italy Became the Most Divided Country in Europe: Understanding the Great Divide Between North &... Prada, Alfa Romeo, Pellegrino, Ferrari, Illy, Lamborghini, Gucci: these are a few Italian...
4 months ago
75
4 months ago
Prada, Alfa Romeo, Pellegrino, Ferrari, Illy, Lamborghini, Gucci: these are a few Italian corporations we all know, though we don’t necessarily know that they’re all from the north of Italy. The same is true, in fact, of most Italian brands that now enjoy global recognition, and...
TheCollector
Surprising Archeological Discoveries in the Heart of the Amazon Jungle In the heart of the dense Amazonian jungle, researchers are realizing that what was long believed to...
3 months ago
35
3 months ago
In the heart of the dense Amazonian jungle, researchers are realizing that what was long believed to be an untouched wilderness is anything but. Recent archeological discoveries indicate that the rainforest’s native populations spent centuries modifying and transforming the...
TheCollector
Where Did the Most Feared Gangs of the Wild West Emerge? One enduring phenomenon from the Wild West is its notorious gangs. The gangs appeared after the...
2 weeks ago
7
2 weeks ago
One enduring phenomenon from the Wild West is its notorious gangs. The gangs appeared after the American Civil War, surfacing in hotspots like Missouri, Texas, and Arizona. These outlaws seldom stayed put but traveled far to hold up banks, stagecoaches, or raid trains.   The...
Flashbak
Far Out Images from Johann Zahn’s Oculus Artificialis (1685) “A complete treatment of the construction and use of lensed optical instruments. Presented in three...
7 months ago
73
7 months ago
“A complete treatment of the construction and use of lensed optical instruments. Presented in three fundamentals, that is, bases: the physical, the mathematical, and the practical or mechanical” – Oculus Artificialis Teledioptricus sive Telescopium     The German student of light...
Open Culture
The 48 Laws of Power Explained in 30 Minutes: “Never Outshine the Master,” “Re-Create Yourself,” and... Robert Greene’s The 48 Laws of Power has been a popular book since its first publication over a...
6 months ago
48
6 months ago
Robert Greene’s The 48 Laws of Power has been a popular book since its first publication over a quarter-century ago. Judging by the discussion that continues among its fervent (and often proselytizing) fans, it’s easy to forget that its title isn’t How to Become Powerful....
TheCollector
5 Generals Who Defeated Napoleon in Battle Napoleon Bonaparte is considered one of the greatest military leaders in history. As a result of his...
a month ago
21
a month ago
Napoleon Bonaparte is considered one of the greatest military leaders in history. As a result of his operational and tactical prowess, he suffered only ten defeats of the 80 or so battles he fought in his career. The generals who defeated him on the field of battle were...
TheCollector
How Did Eleanor of Aquitaine Become One of the Most Powerful Women of the Middle Ages? Women during the Medieval Era often struggled with finding ways to exert power. But through her...
21 hours ago
2
21 hours ago
Women during the Medieval Era often struggled with finding ways to exert power. But through her political connections, land holdings, and iron will, the legendary Eleanor of Aquitaine became a highly influential figure within the English court, and beyond.   Eleanor of Aquitaine:...
TheCollector
The Tomb and Body of Alexander the Great: New Clues from an Egyptologist Few historical figures have captured the imagination as much as Alexander the Great, the conqueror...
4 months ago
68
4 months ago
Few historical figures have captured the imagination as much as Alexander the Great, the conqueror of Persia who never lost a battle and whose empire stretched from Greece to India. Yet, despite his legacy, the location of his tomb and body remains one great unsolved mystery. In...
Classical Wisdom
Calm in the Face of Crisis Putting the Greek Back into Stoicism
8 months ago
TheCollector
How Important Was Elizabeth Gaskell in the Development of Victorian Literature? Elizabeth Gaskell had an eventful upbringing. The youngest of eight children, she and her older...
5 months ago
23
5 months ago
Elizabeth Gaskell had an eventful upbringing. The youngest of eight children, she and her older brother were the only children to survive their infancy. Her mother died not long after her birth and so Elizabeth was sent to be raised by her aunt, Hannah Lamb, in Knutsford,...
Classical Wisdom
Women of Ancient Rome The First Roman Empress and More...
a year ago
TheCollector
From Tablets to Papyrus: When Was Paper Invented? Paper’s invention was a revolutionary breakthrough. Following the invention of paper in 105 CE,...
3 months ago
18
3 months ago
Paper’s invention was a revolutionary breakthrough. Following the invention of paper in 105 CE, forms of communication, learning, and record-keeping were drastically simplified. We track its rich history from ancient civilizations to the present day.   What Materials Did People...
Patterns in Humanity
Sweden's immigration taboo Immigration data kept behind closed doors
a year ago
TheCollector
Lascaux Cave Paintings: Secrets of Prehistoric Art Amid the Second World War, four young boys unearthed a Paleolithic masterpiece when they stumbled...
4 months ago
37
4 months ago
Amid the Second World War, four young boys unearthed a Paleolithic masterpiece when they stumbled upon a cave in southwest France. The boys were entranced by the vivid hues of red, yellow, and black that formed vast scenes of animals appearing to move across the cave walls....
TheCollector
Athena, Greek Goddess of Wisdom, War, and Weaving Athena was one of the most beloved and complex gods in the Greek pantheon. She was an arbiter of...
2 months ago
35
2 months ago
Athena was one of the most beloved and complex gods in the Greek pantheon. She was an arbiter of justice and the goddess of war, a patron of peaceful crafts and protector of the state. To modern audiences, she is best known as the goddess of wisdom, yet this association was not...
Classical Wisdom
Alexander the Great: Ebook The spectacular biographies of Diodorus Siculus, Plutarch, and Arrian
5 months ago
TheCollector
A Brief History of the Zulu People They earned a fearsome reputation in the late 19th century when they inflicted the biggest defeat...
5 months ago
25
5 months ago
They earned a fearsome reputation in the late 19th century when they inflicted the biggest defeat Britain had ever suffered at the hands of Natives. A young tribe that had grown quickly into a powerful kingdom, the Zulu became known for their martial prowess and unyielding...
Flashbak
Elliott Erwitt: A Brilliant Photographer Who Took Great Snapshots “The best things happen when you just happen to be somewhere with a camera” – Elliott Erwitt  ...
a year ago
22
a year ago
“The best things happen when you just happen to be somewhere with a camera” – Elliott Erwitt   Elliott Erwitt died at his home in New York City on 29 November 2023. He leaves us with remarkable archive of fabulous photographs of the great and good, the many places he visited over...
Flashbak
Cars of Britain in the 1970s In the 1970s, David Rostance was photographing life in the UK. Inevitably, his pictures of...
10 months ago
46
10 months ago
In the 1970s, David Rostance was photographing life in the UK. Inevitably, his pictures of Birmingham, The Black Country, London and Wolverhampton included cars. He took the above picture of the Ford Cortina Mk.1 parked on the roadside on 5th February 1978. It could be seen a...
TheCollector
Justinian I’s Surprising Recapture of Rome: What Happened? The Byzantine Emperor Justinian I came close to uniting the former Roman Empire less than a century...
4 months ago
42
4 months ago
The Byzantine Emperor Justinian I came close to uniting the former Roman Empire less than a century after its fall. However, popular discontent, foreign war, and a plague all combined to bring his dream of reestablishing Roman glory to an end, despite remarkable successes.   Rome...
Open Culture
Brian Eno Attempts to Figure Out What Art Does in a New Book Co-Written with Artist Bette A Brian Eno was thinking about the purpose of art a decade ago, as evidenced by his 2015 John Peel...
6 months ago
38
6 months ago
Brian Eno was thinking about the purpose of art a decade ago, as evidenced by his 2015 John Peel Lecture (previously featured here on Open Culture). But he was also thinking about it three decades ago, as evidenced by A Year with Swollen Appendices, his diary of the year 1995...
TheCollector
The Primordial Gods of Greek Mythology Who Preceded the Olympians According to Greek mythology, when the cosmos was created, it was initially inhabited by the first...
a month ago
12
a month ago
According to Greek mythology, when the cosmos was created, it was initially inhabited by the first generation of beings known as the Primordial gods or Protogenoi (Firstborn). Many of these gods appeared fully formed at the moment of the cosmos’s creation. They personified the...
Overcoming Bias
Arntz-Gray & I Talk Feminism At 6:30-8p ET today, I’ll be talking with Regan Arntz-Gray on
8 months ago
TheCollector
Understanding Beethoven in 5 Compositions Ludwig van Beethoven is labeled as an innovator and a rebel in the world of music. To paraphrase Bob...
5 months ago
40
5 months ago
Ludwig van Beethoven is labeled as an innovator and a rebel in the world of music. To paraphrase Bob Marley’s song, No Woman No Cry, “No Beethoven, no modern music.” Despite his growing and eventual deafness, he composed some of the world’s most memorable music. His association...
Overcoming Bias
Philosophical Angst As Culture Skepticism In her new book, my podcast co-host Agnes Callard does a great job of expressing classic...
5 months ago
Open Culture
Watch David Byrne Lead a Massive Choir in Singing David Bowie’s “Heroes” Throughout the years, we’ve featured performances of Choir!Choir!Choir!–a large amateur choir from...
6 months ago
73
6 months ago
Throughout the years, we’ve featured performances of Choir!Choir!Choir!–a large amateur choir from Toronto that meets weekly and sings their hearts out. You’ve seen them sing Prince’s “When Doves Cry,” Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun” (to honor Chris Cornell) and Leonard Cohen’s...
Classical Wisdom
Three New Year’s Resolutions from Epicurus An Epic Start to the New Year
8 months ago
TheCollector
The Year of the Six Emperors (238 CE): A Complete Guide Herodian’s History of the Roman Empire starts with the observation that “in a period of 60 years,...
3 months ago
24
3 months ago
Herodian’s History of the Roman Empire starts with the observation that “in a period of 60 years, the Roman imperial power was held by more emperors than would seem possible in so short a time…” This is a preface to his history of Rome, from the death of the last “good emperor,”...
TheCollector
Apotheosis: How the Romans Made Men Into Gods While the “frivolous East” may have been happy to venerate men as though they were gods, the serious...
5 months ago
23
5 months ago
While the “frivolous East” may have been happy to venerate men as though they were gods, the serious men of the Roman Republic would never have condoned such an outrage. Nevertheless, the apotheosis and deification of deceased Roman emperors became an essential element of Roman...
Res Obscura
Why drug history? Drugs and spices play an outsized role in world history — but it's often a hidden one
a year ago
TheCollector
What Are the Literary Sources for the Trojan War? When considering the Trojan War, most people think of Homer’s epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey....
a month ago
18
a month ago
When considering the Trojan War, most people think of Homer’s epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey. But these two defining works only tell part of the story. The Iliad is set in the ninth year of a ten-year war, and the Odyssey is the tale of a hero returning after the conflict....
TheCollector
Who Were King Solomon’s Many Wives and Concubines? King Solomon pulled the ultimate biblical no-no: he married foreign women and allowed them to keep...
a month ago
22
a month ago
King Solomon pulled the ultimate biblical no-no: he married foreign women and allowed them to keep practicing their own religions. In his zeal to cement political alliances through marriage, he gained a reputation for faithlessness—and divine punishment soon followed. But who...
African History...
A complete history of the old city of Gao ca. 700-1898. Journal of African cities: chapter 12
a year ago
TheCollector
Rare Roman Mosaics with Dolphin Artwork Found in Austria Excavations near the ancient Roman city of Ovilava in Austria have revealed a highly decorated villa...
2 months ago
15
2 months ago
Excavations near the ancient Roman city of Ovilava in Austria have revealed a highly decorated villa complex. Among these decorations are three Roman mosaic floors—one of which bears an uncommon aquatic motif.   The discovery, announced by a joint team from OÖ Landes-Kultur GmbH...
Trying to Understand...
The Power Of Absent Things. It explains a lot about Ukraine.
a year ago
TheCollector
La Dolce Vita: The Enduring Influence of Italy’s Most Iconic Lifestyle One of the most famous and influential films of postwar Italian cinema is La Dolce Vita (1960) by...
3 months ago
28
3 months ago
One of the most famous and influential films of postwar Italian cinema is La Dolce Vita (1960) by the director Federico Fellini (1920–1993). Despite the contrasting interpretations, the expression “dolce vita” continues to evoke the cultural icon of “made in Italy” originated...
African History...
a brief note on the history of indigenous and foreign religions in African history, and the Kimpasi... The majority of Africans today primarily identify as Christians and Muslims of various...
a year ago
54
a year ago
The majority of Africans today primarily identify as Christians and Muslims of various denominations, with a relatively small fraction adhering to other belief systems often referred to as 'indigenous' or 'traditional' religions.
TheCollector
Medes, the Ancient People Who Took Down the Assyrian Empire The ancient Medes are one of the least understood and most often overlooked people of the ancient...
a week ago
7
a week ago
The ancient Medes are one of the least understood and most often overlooked people of the ancient Near East. In the 7th century BCE, the Medes helped conquer the Assyrian Empire on their way to establishing a powerful kingdom in ancient Iran and played a major role in the...
Wrong Side of...
Welcoming the stranger Caldwell's 'Reflections on the Revolution in Europe', Part Two
8 months ago
Wrong Side of...
Democracy vs liberalism in the heart of Europe ‘All state authority is derived from the people’
6 months ago
TheCollector
William Gladstone: Britain’s Record-Breaking Prime Minister The Victorian era featured many political giants. Robert Peel, Benjamin Disraeli, and Lord Salisbury...
5 months ago
43
5 months ago
The Victorian era featured many political giants. Robert Peel, Benjamin Disraeli, and Lord Salisbury are some obvious examples. Yet the man who spent the most time as prime minister was none other than William Gladstone.   Gladstone was Great Britain’s prime minister for twelve...
Overcoming Bias
Futarchy And Self-Dealing Governance Compared to divided government, a more central government has stronger incentives to help the polity...
6 months ago
40
6 months ago
Compared to divided government, a more central government has stronger incentives to help the polity as a whole.
Trying to Understand...
What We Talk About, When We Talk About Talks. The End may be further away than you think.
6 months ago
TheCollector
How the Normans Conquered England in 1066 Many people may not be aware that the governments of France and England were once closely linked,...
4 weeks ago
19
4 weeks ago
Many people may not be aware that the governments of France and England were once closely linked, including through a single monarchy. In 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, invaded England to avenge the affront of not being named King of England, as he had been promised.  The...