Tag Archives: history

Why was Pink for Boys and Blue for Girls?

Pink for Boys and Blue for Girls might seem strange to modern eyes and sensibilities, but up until the 1940’s a lot of people thought pink was the more masculine color and blue was clearly more feminine. So how did … Continue reading

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Haunting, 9,000-Year-Old Stone Mask Discovered in a Field in the West Bank

With oval-shaped holes for eyes and a small ridge for a nose, the mask resembles something a 1970s hockey goalie (or Jason in “Friday the 13th”) might have worn. But this mask was carved out of stone 9,000 years ago, … Continue reading

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An Appliqued Solar System Quilt Used as a Teaching Aid in the Late 19th century

1876 Ellen Harding Baker’s “Solar System” Quilt, via The Smithsonian National Museum of American History   In the late 1800’s, teacher and astronomer Sarah Ellen Harding Baker spent seven years embroidering a star-covered quilt for her classroom in Cedar County, … Continue reading

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How to make 2,000-year-old-bread

In AD 79, a baker put his loaf of bread into the oven. Nearly 2,000 years later it was found during excavations in Herculaneum. The British Museum asked Giorgio Locatelli to recreate the recipe as part of his culinary investigations … Continue reading

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The Kimono World’s Dirty Little Secret

On a small island, off the coast of Okinawa in Japan, the world’s most precious kimonos are crafted using a very unusual element: mud. The meticulous technique, which has been practiced for thousands of years, uses mud and dried tree … Continue reading

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Part 13: Food: What Did Peasants Eat in Medieval Times?

Jason begins a journey through the social strata of the medieval age by taking a look at the kinds of food the knight might have experienced in his travels. He’s joined by food historian Chris Carr, who first demonstrates some … Continue reading

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This 1,100-Year-Old Beer’s For You: Recreating Ancient Ales

For University of Colorado classics professor Travis Rupp, the best way to bring ancient civilizations back to life is in a pint glass. Rupp works on a special projects team at Avery Brewing Company to brew beers the way that … Continue reading

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Pleasant Vices episode 1 I Aphrodisiacs

[from the description] When we think of aphrodisiacs we may think of luxury foods, like oysters and champagne, however as we find out in this video, these are not the most intriguing of historical aphrodisiacs. Join Food Historian Tasha Marks … Continue reading

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How to make 5,000 year old beer I Pleasant Vices episode 3

In episode 3 of the Pleasant Vices series food historian Tasha Marks is joined by brewer Michaela Charles and beverage consultant Susan Boyle to make Ancient Egyptian beer. To find out more about ancient brewing, read Tasha’s article on the … Continue reading

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How to make Mesoamerican 18th century mash up hot chocolate I Pleasant Vices episode 2

Tasha Marks is back for episode 2 of the Pleasant Vices series. This week she is joined by master chocolatier Paul A. Young to discuss chocolate’s introduction to 18th London as a delicious and beneficial drink. In this episode, Tasha … Continue reading

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