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History

As he led his troops into the mountains, Hannibal vowed: “You will have the capital of Italy, the citadel of Rome, in the hollow of your hands.”

How (and Where) Did Hannibal Cross the Alps?

He pulled off one of the greatest military feats ever. Now new scientific evidence points to Hannibal’s legendary route to Rome

A carving of a wallaby, representing the Rainbow Serpent.

Australia

A Guided Tour of Australia’s Blue Mountains Follows Ancient Aboriginal Songlines

Yanna Muru’s walkabouts to sacred sites teach visitors about Darug culture

The Cairo Toe

Cool Finds

This 3,000-Year-Old Wooden Toe Shows Early Artistry of Prosthetics

Crafted from leather and wood, the ancient Egyptian prosthesis was was adjusted to precisely fit its wearer’s foot

The advantages of coins as currency were clear.

Making Cents of Currency’s Ancient Rise

Cash has been king for over 40,000 years

Where Does ‘Beyond the Pale’ Come From?

Trim Castle in County Meath, Ireland, is famous for two things: It was a location in ‘Braveheart,’ and it played a part in the phrase ‘beyond the pale’

A View in Louisburg in North America

Canada

When Nova Scotia Almost Joined the American Revolution

New England expats felt a strong allegiance to the struggles felt by their American friends to the south

"Oh, hello. I didn't see you there. I was just catching up on my latest diary entry."

Samuel Pepys Was England’s First Blogger

The famed blogger—okay, diarist—told historians so much about 17th-century daily life in England, but he could have told us so much more

Edith Wharton moved to Paris and stayed put during World War I, unlike many of her friends who fled.

Edith Wharton Recruited the World’s Greatest Artists to Raise Money for WWI Refugees

A century ago, the famous author took it upon herself to help those left behind by the war’s carnage

Some of the cave dwellings in Old Khndzoresk.

Armenia

Explore an Ancient Cave City in Armenia

Residents lived in Old Khndzoresk up until the 1950s

Draft of The Balfour Declaration with handwritten notes, 1917

World War I: 100 Years Later

How a Single Paragraph Paved the Way for a Jewish State

The Balfour Declaration changed the course of history with just one sentence

Austria

25 Marie Antoinette-Inspired Destinations

Destinations in Vienna, Paris and beyond for travelers interested in tracing the footsteps of the infamous French queen

Henri IV depicted as Hercules vanquishing a hydra. All in a day's work.

The Second Life of Henri IV’s Severed Head

Whether it’s lying in the grave or sitting in a Paris bank vault, the monarch’s cranium has been the subject of much debate since his untimely demise

Often called "military mascots," animals played pivotal roles during WWI. Pictured here is John Bull of the 77th Aero Force (sic). [165-WW-472A-49]

World War I: 100 Years Later

The Animals That Helped Win World War I

Newly digitized photos tell the story of animals that fought as soldiers during the Great War

The burial chamber containing the model looms

New Research

Model Looms Are Missing Link in China’s Textile History

Four miniature pattern looms found in a burial in Chengdu show how the Han Dynasty produced cloth to trade on the Silk Road

A slave fortress in Cape Coast, Ghana

A Digital Archive of Slave Voyages Details the Largest Forced Migration in History

An online database explores the nearly 36,000 slave voyages that occurred between 1514 and 1866

On the canal in Tongli.

Explore China’s Ancient Water Towns

The Venice of the East sits just 30 minutes by train from Shanghai

Maria Bochkareva

The Women Warriors of the Russian Revolution

Soldier Maria Bochkareva proposed all-female battalions, in part to shame men into continuing the fight

Ujala Baoli, Mandu, Madhya Pradesh. Late 15th/Early 16th century. Location: 22°21’29.87’’ N, 75°23’45.36’’ E.

Photos Capture India’s Ancient, Vanishing Stepwells

These intricate architectural marvels are in danger of disappearing

Homo floresiensis

New Research

The “Hobbits” Could Be Much Older Than Once Thought

The Flores hobbits’ ancestor may have ventured out of Africa much earlier than previously thought

A group of women in traditional dress stand beside a Thomas Cook boat on the Nile in 1904.

How an Alcohol-Hating English Preacher Founded Global Tourism

Thomas Cook’s tours set the stage for today’s tourism industry

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