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Rituals and Traditions

Fifth-Century Remains May Be Evidence of Human Sacrifice in Ancient Korea

Two bodies were found under the walls of a castle, leading some experts to believe that they were sacrificed to ensure the building did not crumble

The original 1967 cover illustration of The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

The True Story Behind Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and Her Mixed-Up Files

Fifty years ago, author E.L. Konigsburg wrote her children’s literature classic that highlighted the wonder of museums

Any faithful recreation of elephant ivory must be hard, strong and tough—three qualities that are difficult to engineer in any one material.

Future of Conservation

Appalled by the Illegal Trade in Elephant Ivory, a Biologist Decided to Make His Own

Faking the stuff of elephant tusks could benefit wildlife conservation and engineering—yet many technical hurdles remain

What a Broom Tied to a Periscope Means in the U.S. Navy

On February 7, 1943, the USS Wahoo sailed proudly into Pearl Harbor, a broom tied to her periscope. It was a wink to an old Naval tradition

Many Chinese restaurant names with words like golden, fortune, luck and garden are chosen for their auspiciousness—out of the owners’ desire for success.

Ask Smithsonian 2017

Why Do Chinese Restaurants Have Such Similar Names?

Consistency and familiarity is the tradition

As his ancestors have done for generations, Icelander Árni Hilmarsson catches an Atlantic puffin in a net called a háfur.

Disappearing Puffins Bring an Icelandic Hunting Tradition Under Scrutiny

Historically, hunting seabirds has been a distinctive feature of Nordic coastal culture. Should it still be?

Why the Templar Secret Rituals Were So Controversial

From spitting on the Christian cross to strange sexual acts, the Knights Templar’s secret rituals were controversial

Was This Hidden Tunnel Used by the Knights Templar?

It’s unclear if the Knights Templar created the secret tunnel in Acre, Israel, as an escape route or a way to secretly export valuable items

How the Knights Templar Came to Be

After a group of pilgrims were murdered in 1119, nine crusaders formed a pact to protect any others like them from harm

A woman smashes her laptop at Good Riddance Day in 2015

Trending Today

2016 Got You Down? Trash All Your Woes on Good Riddance Day

Inspired by a Latin American tradition, Good Riddance Day is one way to say goodbye to this year’s bad memories

Native Americans Saw Buffalo as More Than Just Food

The relationship between some Native American tribes and the American buffalo was a sacred one

Boo! Telling ghost stories on Christmas was a tradition for hundreds of years. Here, Marley's ghost surprises Ebenezer Scrooge in an illustration from the first edition of the classic tale.

Why Do People Tell Ghost Stories on Christmas?

Christmas ghost stories are a tradition going back much farther than “A Christmas Carol”

Cool Finds

Each Christmas, Iceland’s Yule Cat Takes Fashion Policing to the Extreme

The Jólakötturinn will make you thankful for those Christmas socks

Love Locks on the Pont de l'Archevêché bridge in 2012.

Trending Today

Paris Is Selling Old Love Locks to Raise Money For Refugees

Putting clipped locks to good use

The Gävle Goat in 2006

Cool Finds

For 50 Years, This Swedish City Has Celebrated Christmas Season With a Giant Straw Goat

And most of the time it meets a fiery end

The record for lights at a home, lawn included, is 601,736 bulbs.

Untangling the History of Christmas Lights

This bright idea was ahead of its time

The bonfires of Samhain were said to welcome the spirits that could travel to Earth during this special time.

Halloween Owes Its Tricks and Treats to the Ancient Celtic New Year’s Eve

During Samhain, the deceased came to Earth in search of food and comfort, while evil spirits, faeries and gods came in search of mischief

During an initiation ceremony for the Afro-Cuban secret society called Abakuá in the Havana district of Regla, a young aspirant depicts Aberisún, an ireme, or spirit messenger.

Smithsonian Journeys Travel Quarterly: Cuba

Venture Inside Cuba’s Secret Societies

From Masons to Santería priests, photographer Nicola Lo Calzo offers a glimpse into the island’s many subcultures

Girls are saying "let it go" to princess costumes in favor of superheroes.

Trending Today

Kids Ditch Princess Costumes in Favor of Superheroes This Halloween

For the first time in over a decade, princesses falter on the charts

What These Mysterious Scrolls Tell Us About Women in Petra

In 1961, archaeologists in southern Israel discovered a mysterious set of documents. They provide clues into the elevated status of Nabataean women

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