Rituals and Traditions
At Coney Island's Mermaid Parade, Thousands Channel Aquatic Weirdness
Crowds decked out as fantastical sea creatures flocked to Brooklyn's amusement district for the summer kickoff event
See 15 Stunning Scenes of Summer
These highlights from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest will remind you of everything you love about the season
Oldest Wine Ever Found in Liquid Form Unearthed in 2,000-Year-Old Tomb
Researchers have concluded that the fluid preserved inside an ancient funerary urn is a white sherry-like wine
Trove of Rare Artifacts Unearthed Beneath an Ancient Roman Well
Dozens of items, including burnt bones and ceramics, provide new insights into ritual activity in the city of Ostia
The 15 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2024
From a bluegrass capital in Virginia to a laid-back surf town in Hawaii, these spots are beckoning to tourists this year
See the Stunning Shrine With Rare Blue-Painted Walls Unearthed at Pompeii
The 86-square-foot space is adorned with artworks depicting female figures and agricultural imagery
England's Mysterious 'Seahenge' Monument May Have Been Built to Prolong Summer
One researcher thinks the structure was used for ancient rituals during a period of bitter cold
How Zongzi Became the Must-Eat Food During the Dragon Boat Festival
A festive recipe to ward off sea monsters remains a staple of one of China’s biggest cultural events
These 28 Horses Were Buried in an Ancient Mass Grave. How Did They Die?
Archaeologists are puzzled by the 2,000-year-old burial site uncovered in central France
Men's Shirts Button on the Right. Why Do Women's Button on the Left?
Nobody knows for sure, but plausible theories include swords, servants and saddles
These Ancient Skeletons Are Not Entwined Lovers, But a Daughter Embracing Her Mother
New research found that the two women, who were buried in Austria atop a horse, were first-degree relatives who died some 1,800 years ago
Hallucinogenic Plant Unearthed Beneath an Ancient Maya Ball Court
Researchers have found evidence of a nearly 2,000-year-old ceremonial offering at the site in present-day Mexico
Why Did the Ancient Illyrians Place Helmets in Their Burial Mounds?
A 2,500-year-old helmet found in Croatia may have been a funerary offering. It offers insights into the rituals of a lesser-known culture that once occupied the Balkan Peninsula
French Bakers Set a New World Record by Making a 461-Foot-Long Baguette
The previous world record was set by a group of bakers in Italy in 2019
In This Ancient Cemetery, Romans Left Fine Glass Vessels, Platforms for Feasting and Phallic Pendants
Archaeologists in Narbonne, France, have been studying the necropolis since 2017
Tweak the Recipe of This Australian Biscuit, and You Can Get a Hefty Fine or Even Jail Time
On April 25, a national holiday called Anzac Day, Aussies enjoy an Anzac biscuit in honor of military veterans
How Jewish Soldiers Celebrated Passover in the Midst of the Civil War
A group of Union men from Ohio held a makeshift Seder in the western Virginia woods in 1862
Were Stonehenge's Builders Guided by the Moon?
Researchers are studying the monument's connection to a celestial event that occurs every 18.6 years
The Olympic Torch Relay Began in Nazi Germany
After a torch-lighting ceremony this week, the Olympic flame began its long journey from Olympia to Paris
The English Farmers Who Harvest Rhubarb by Candlelight
The secret to the world’s sweetest rhubarb? Sealed sheds, total darkness and a little old-fashioned flair
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