Rituals and Traditions | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/rituals-and-traditions/RSS feed for Rituals and TraditionsenWed, 16 Sep 2026 11:00:00 +0000The Ruins of a Long-Lost Medieval Convent Have Been Discovered Just a Few Feet Beneath a Soccer Fieldhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-ruins-of-a-long-lost-medieval-convent-have-been-discovered-just-a-few-feet-beneath-a-soccer-field-180989506/St. Clare's Convent closed in the 16th century, and researchers assumed all traces of it had been lost. But a new ground-penetrating radar survey revealed surprisingly intact remains of pillars, rooms, cloisters, a courtyard and a churchWed, 16 Sep 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-ruins-of-a-long-lost-medieval-convent-have-been-discovered-just-a-few-feet-beneath-a-soccer-field-180989506/Six Ways That People of the Past Used Magic to Protect Their Homes, From Witch Bottles to Mystical Symbolshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/six-ways-that-people-of-the-past-used-magic-to-protect-their-homes-from-witch-bottles-to-mystical-symbols-180989493/Throughout history, humans around the world have employed protective talismans such as special stones, herbs and plants, and decorative demon tilesTue, 15 Sep 2026 11:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/six-ways-that-people-of-the-past-used-magic-to-protect-their-homes-from-witch-bottles-to-mystical-symbols-180989493/Archaeologists Uncover a Neolithic Sculpture of a Human Riding a Leopard That's 'Unlike Anything We Have Encountered Before'https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-uncover-a-neolithic-sculpture-of-a-human-riding-a-leopard-thats-unlike-anything-we-have-encountered-before-180989477/The artifact was found during excavations at Karahan Tepe, an 11,000-year-old site in southeastern Turkey. Created long before the invention of writing, the 2.3-foot-tall sculpture's purpose is a mysteryThu, 10 Sep 2026 14:09:55 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-uncover-a-neolithic-sculpture-of-a-human-riding-a-leopard-thats-unlike-anything-we-have-encountered-before-180989477/Archaeologists Discover a 4,000-Year-Old Tomb With a False Door at Egypt's Ancient Saqqara Necropolishttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-a-4000-year-old-tomb-with-a-false-door-at-egypts-ancient-saqqara-necropolis-180989438/In addition to the tomb, which once belonged to a high-ranking official, excavations revealed a network of burial shafts that still held human remains and funerary objectsWed, 02 Sep 2026 18:43:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-a-4000-year-old-tomb-with-a-false-door-at-egypts-ancient-saqqara-necropolis-180989438/These 15 Photos of India, Saturated With Vibrant Color, Are Like Witnessing the Country Through a Kaleidoscopehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/these-15-photos-saturated-with-vibrant-color-are-like-seeing-india-through-a-kaleidoscope-180989375/Whether they signify spiritual connection or creative license, the bright, bold hues of the subcontinent often mean more than meets the eyeFri, 28 Aug 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/these-15-photos-saturated-with-vibrant-color-are-like-seeing-india-through-a-kaleidoscope-180989375/