Jun 14, 2021 | Fun Historical Facts
Long-time followers of my blog may remember my post on the origins of English. The language tree in that post shows that English is largely derived from Germanic, specifically Anglo-Frisian. So, where are the Celts? Are there no Celtic words in English? As several of...
Jun 6, 2021 | Fun Historical Facts, Quora
The wee one’s fascination with bodily functions (as witnessed by her poetry) must be rubbing off on me, as I couldn’t stop browsing Quora to learn more about toilet habits, old and new. Sher Afgan and Silvia Serra have shared a brief illustrated history of...
Jun 2, 2021 | Fun Historical Facts, Quora
The Iron Age (800 BC-100 AD) took its name from, well, iron. This kickstarted a number of technological and social changes, with centuries-old Bronze Age (2200-800 BC) civilizations based on copper and tin falling prey to invincible newcomers who wielded formidable...
May 29, 2021 | Fun Historical Facts
Cavalier guards, the charge is short, and therefore so sweet. The trumpet sings, the field is open, and somewhere saber ringing is heard. The sound of strings still echoes but the captain’s already on the saddle. Do not promise young maidens eternal love on...
May 23, 2021 | Fun Historical Facts, Quora
When people speak of climate change, I often think of Dunwich, a town on the Suffolk coast that has almost entirely vanished into the sea. Dunwich is a pleasant city that consists of just about one street and a museum, a shingle beach, and a nearby forest. As George...
May 21, 2021 | Fun Historical Facts
Late last year, an article of mine was published by John Maberry’s Eagle Peak Annual on the life of one of Greece’s best-known sculptors, Giannoulis (“Little John”) Chalepas. I’m sharing here with John’s kind permission. Chalepas...
May 19, 2021 | Fun Historical Facts
I came across a delightful story on Atlas Obscura the other day and wanted to share with you. When the Gothic-style St. Mary Church (Marienkirche) was being built in Lübeck in the mid-13th century, local legend has it that none other than Satan himself stopped by the...
May 17, 2021 | Fun Historical Facts, Quora
I’m back with an attempt to dispel two common myths about sleeping conditions in the Middle Ages. Some people think that everyone slept on straw on the floor, as you may do in a stable. Others imagine everyone sleeping on mattresses, albeit of a more, ahem,...
