Rituals and Traditions
1,500-Year-Old 'Magic Bowls' Seized in Jerusalem Raid
Ancient Mesopotamians used the vessels, which were inscribed with incantations, to ward off demons, disease and other misfortune
The Japanese WWII Soldier Who Refused to Surrender for 27 Years
Unable to bear the shame of being captured as a prisoner of war, Shoichi Yokoi hid in the jungles of Guam until January 1972
In Norway, Kids Slice Out Cod Tongues for Serious Money
In the remote Lofoten Islands, youngsters are happy to embrace tradition by collecting the local delicacy and selling their wares
Why Do We Count Down to the New Year?
A historian traces the tradition's links to space travel, the Doomsday Clock and Alfred Hitchcock
Searching for Curry and Enlightenment on the Indian Buffet Line
A return to trays of glistening tandoori and hand-rolled naan for the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic is a return to normalcy
How to Tell the Thanksgiving Story on Its 400th Anniversary
Scholars are unraveling the myths surrounding the 1621 feast, which found the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag cementing a newly established alliance
How Much Longer Will Roquefort Reign as the King of Cheese?
In France, makers of the odorous food are singing the blues
Ancient Amethyst Ring Found in Israel May Have Been Worn to Ward Off Hangovers
Found near a Byzantine-era winery, the jewelry likely belonged to a wealthy, high-status individual
3,500-Year-Old Babylonian Tablet May Contain Earliest Known Depiction of a Ghost
A curator at the British Museum details the spooky find in a new book
When People Carved Turnips Instead of Pumpkins for Halloween
Revelers in Ireland transformed the root vegetables into lanterns designed to ward off dark spirits
In Cemeteries Across the Country, Reenactors Are Resurrecting the Dead
Gravesite readings and performances keep the stories of the dearly departed alive for a new generation
A Brand-New Museum in Oklahoma Honors Indigenous People at Every Turn
The team behind the First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City incorporated the traditions and spiritual beliefs of 39 tribal nations into its design
1,800-Year-Old Flower Bouquets Found in Tunnel Beneath Teotihuacán Pyramid
The well-preserved plants were likely used in a ritual ceremony
Mysterious Iron Age Burial May Hold Remains of Elite Nonbinary Person
The Finnish grave's occupant likely had Klinefelter syndrome, meaning they were born with an extra copy of the X chromosome
The Last Cigar Factory in Tampa
After a multi-million renovation, the J.C. Newman Cigar Company in Ybor City offers visitors a museum and tours of its working factory
A Small Town in Ohio Is Home to the World's Only Cardboard Boat Museum
For nearly 30 years, New Richmond has hosted the International Cardboard Boat Regatta, a high-spirited race on the Ohio River
What Did Tollund Man, One of Europe's Famed Bog Bodies, Eat Before He Died?
The enigmatic, 2,400-year-old mummy's last meal consisted of porridge and fish
3,400-Year-Old Artificial Pool in Italy May Have Hosted Religious Rituals
New research dates the wooden basin's construction to a time of immense social change for Bronze Age people
Why Are These Medieval-Era Skulls Found in Gabon Missing Their Front Teeth?
Intact, 500-year-old upper jaws discovered in an African cave bear evidence of deliberate facial modification
4,000-Year-Old 'Snake Staff' Discovered in Finland
A Stone Age shaman may have used the carving during special rituals
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