Rituals and Traditions
A Brief History of Pancakes
From ancient Greece to Shrove Tuesday celebrations, the sweet or savory flat cakes have long been a culinary staple
What You Should Know About the Mardi Gras Indians
For more than a century, New Orleans' Black residents have donned Native-inspired attire to celebrate Carnival
What Is Paczki Day?
The Fat Tuesday tradition centered around eating fried, filled Polish pastries is celebrated across the Midwest, but especially in Chicago
World's Oldest Near-Complete Hebrew Bible Goes to Auction
The Codex Sassoon could break auction records, becoming the most valuable historical document ever sold
Artifacts Unearthed Near Harriet Tubman's Birthplace
Archaeologists identified a West African spirit cache, a collection of items used to protect a home's occupants
The Best Mardi Gras Parades Beyond New Orleans
You may think of the “Big Easy” on Fat Tuesday, but other towns throughout Louisiana and the wider Gulf Coast play host to raucous celebrations
India Wants to Replace Valentine's Day With 'Cow Hug Day'
The Hindu nationalist government says that Western culture threatens Indian traditions
Seven-Foot Sword Unearthed From 1,600-Year-Old Burial Mound in Japan
Archaeologists think the artifact was used to protect against evil after death
Metal Detectorist Finds Mysterious Roman Object Possibly Used for Magic
Patrick Schuermans discovered a fragment of a 1,600-year-old dodecahedron in Belgium
Archaeologists Unearth 3,000-Year-Old Wishing Well in Germany
The Bronze Age well was full of decorative ceramics, jewelry and other items likely used for ritual purposes
See the Face of a Neolithic Man Who Lived in Jericho 9,500 Years Ago
Prehistoric people modified a skull to create a rudimentary likeness of its owner. Now, scholars have produced a more accurate facial reconstruction
U.S. Returns Looted Sarcophagus to Egypt
The "Green Coffin" had been at the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences since 2013
Haiti's Beloved Soup Joumou Serves Up 'Freedom in Every Bowl'
Every year, Haitians around the globe eat the pumpkin dish on January 1 to commemorate the liberation of the world’s first free Black republic
Inside the Nisga'a Nation's Fight to Get a 36-Foot Totem Pole Back From Scotland
National Museums Scotland agreed to repatriate the object, which was stolen in 1929, following an in-person appeal by an Indigenous delegation
What Nativity Scenes Tell Us About the Evolution of Christianity
From ancient mosaics to Saint Francis of Assisi, depictions of Jesus's birth reflect the changing conventions of the world's largest religion
A Brief History of Christmas Markets
Now a global phenomenon, the holiday tradition traces its roots to medieval Europe
Millions of Pilgrims Gathered to Celebrate the Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico City
After two years of pandemic closures, the annual tradition is back in full force
Iceland's Christmas Book Flood Is a Force of Nature
The nation’s seasonal publishing and gifting tradition nourishes its unique literary culture
As Traditional Bakeries Disappear, the French Baguette Receives UNESCO Protection
The agency adds the “artisanal know-how and culture of baguette bread” to its intangible heritage list
A Brief History of White House Weddings
Naomi Biden's nuptials will mark the 19th wedding held at the presidential seat of power
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