Quirky History
Lesser-known morsels of olden day stuff
Travel: Kolejcowo is a cute and creepy version of Poland in miniature
When I was in Poland in 2019, I didn’t hesitate to visit the Kolejcowo in Świebodzki Station in Wrocław. This is the largest model railway in Poland, but also a rather amazing depiction of how life in Poland actually looks. Everything, right down to the petrol stations, graffiti, and the shops actually exists in real…
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Otherworldly and Abandoned Soviet Monuments
These sculptures and old buildings before the end of the Cold War era look futuristic and strange. Some structures demonstrate the military might of Russia. While others are scintillating, harshly modern, and located in beautiful forested landscapes. These monuments are artistic and architectural wonders. Could these lost and forgotten objects ever be revived and resurrected, albeit…
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Beautiful maps & beautiful Welsh tales: The Mabinogion
The Mabinogion is a magical and mythical Celtic classic from the thirteenth century or earlier. It’s thoroughly Welsh and is considered a masterpiece of medieval literature. Although written down during the middle ages, experts think these stories may date from the dawn of Celtic civilisation in Britain. The Mabinogion has given rise to all of…
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Japan’s 72 gossamer-light and poetic microseasons
The traditional seasons in Japan are marked out by impercetibly small changes in nature across 72 miniature seasons in a year, each lasting 5 days and reflecting the fleeting, impermanent and diaphanous beauty of nature and all of its wonders. There are 24 divisions or sekki in the calendar that are split into 72 kō…
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History: You are what you do – olden times tradespeople and their tools
Hieroglyphics, circa 1800 This delightful print entitled Hieroglyphics dates from circa 1800 and was created by the London-based publisher Samuel William Fores in the aquatint style. We can see the composite portraits of four professions: a florist, writer, musician, and barber — their features made up entirely from the tools of their trades. Such composite…
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The art of Kulning: Night-scented stock are called in for the long summer evening
Kulning is an ancient, sweet and sorrowful form of Scandinavian music used to herd cows and goats back down from their high mountain pastures in parts of Norway and in certain provinces of Sweden, Jämtland and Härjedalen. In practical use since medieval times, the mysterious tones were also thought to be a deterrent to potential predators like wolves…
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Mysterious and epic maps show the hideouts of elusive cryptids and monsters of Europe and North America
Cryptids or animals that purportedly exist based on scant physical evidence are an endless fascination to people all over the world.
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Captain Seeks a Sea-Going Cat to Sign on for a Trip Around the World, New York Times (1922)
Captain Edwin Dyason, master of the freighter Woodfield will welcome any ablebodied seafaring cat wishing to join the crew of his vessel, sailing today for Manila and China. “We missed the ship’s cat shortly after we put into port here,” said the Captain. “Her name was Cleopatra. She joined on in Fremantle, Australia and did…
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A Compendium of New Zealand Woo, Cults and New Age Claptrap
New Zealand is no stranger to woo, religious cults and strange pseudoscientific ‘cures’ for various ailments. Have a look closely at this vintage 1932 poster from the New Zealand Railways, advertising Rotorua as a ‘health spa destination’ and peddling all sorts of odd ‘miraculous’ treatments! Then learn more about the unusual cults that are tucked…
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How real women dressed over the ages
A lot of fuss and attention is given to how wealthy women dressed in ancient times. Yet for every affluent woman there would be 10 other women of more humble origins, toiling and working in low paid and thankless jobs. Here are some really incredible videos that showcase how these women dressed over time. Women…
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Hanako the 226 year old koi
Hanako means flower girl in Japanese. Hanako lived the majority of her life in the pure spring waters of a pond at the foot of Mt Ontake near Oppara. It’s believed that the purity and relative isolation of the pond contributed to her longevity. Hanako lived through the English conquering of both Australia and New…
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Fritz Khan’s painting Der Menschen als Industriepalast in dreamy animation
Fritz Kahn’s Der Menschen als Industriepalast by Henning Lederer. Fritz Kahn combined industrial and mechanical functionality with the working wonders of the human body. He was a creative genius whose work remained undiscovered for many years. Until a curious curator Uta Von Debschnitz unearthed them. Kahn was a Berliner who did well for himself…
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Medieval bangers and tavern stompers circa 2020
Treat thine ears and eyes to a new genre of music – bardcore! Perhaps you’re looking for that tavern banger that you enjoyed back in 1365. Or perhaps you want to reminisce on the summer solstice when you gathered with jolly folk at Stonehenge, got wasted on mead and were visited by a strange celestial…
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Explore the tomb of Ramesses VI in the The Valley of Kings, Egypt
Take a virtual tour of the tomb of the great pharaoh Ramesses all without leaving your home and while staying in your pyjamas. Take the tour here
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The symbolism of The Lady and the Unicorn tapestry cycle
Detail of ‘Smell’ c1500, from The lady and the unicorn series. wool and silk, 368 x 322 cm. Musée de Cluny – Musée national du Moyen Âge, Paris Photo © RMN-GP / M Urtado Mark De Vitis, University of Sydney The arrival of The Lady and the Unicorn tapestry cycle at the Art Gallery of…
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