History

2021-08-21 00:41:58 It is believed to have made a noise in order to intimidate the enemy. This sound is recorded from an attempt to emulate it by a group of archaeologists and historians, but is somewhat speculative. Open / Comment

2021-08-21 00:41:58 The draco was a windsock-like military standard used in the late Roman Empire. Adopted from various steppe peoples, it was used by cavalry (draconarii) and possibly for civilians celebrating an event. Open / Comment

2021-07-02 01:18:01 1 July 1921: Mao Zedong set this date as the founding of the Chinese Communist Party. It isn't exact, as he couldn't remember the details. The meeting, later known as the 1st. National Congress of
The Communist Party of China, was attended by thirteen people and was held in a house in Shanghai (pictured) before being broken up by colonial police. There do not appear to be any photographs of the meeting, although a museum is now at the site, and recreates the scene. Open / Comment

2021-07-01 22:21:01 It would sound something like this, but the frequency can be adjusted depending on shape, speed, and angle. Open / Comment

2021-07-01 22:20:05 Collection of prehistoric artefacts from France. They are; left - a bone flute (Isturitz, Pyrénées-Atlantiques), centre - bone whistle (Laugerie-Basse, Dordogne), top - reindeer antler rhombe (Lalinde, Dordogne), bottom - reindeer antler scraper (Mas d'Azil, Ariège).
The rhombe is known, amongst other names, as a bullroarer. Is is something that appears in cultures throughout the world, including native Americans, Australian Aboriginals, Indonesians, and Celts.
It is used by attaching a chord and swinging around in a circle. The frequencies produced can travel for miles.
In northern Britain it was known as something that protected the user from being struck by lightening. Open / Comment

2021-06-30 20:40:03 Helmet surmounted by horse (northeast China, 7th century BC).
Although from Zhou-dynasty China, this helmet must have been the result of influences from outside their borders, in the Eurasian steppe. It likely was lined with cloth.
The animal mask was probably intended as magical protection, as a clan marker, and likely indicated that this person was of high rank,
Source Open / Comment

2021-06-30 00:41:56 https://jonkanekojames.com/2015/05/why-are-there-violent-rabbits-in-the-margins-of-medieval-manuscripts/ Open / Comment

2021-06-30 00:41:48 Rabbits in medieval manuscripts had a tendency to be much more vicious than their real-life counterparts.
The reason is likely their association with purity and weakness. The role reversal of rabbits hunting men was depicted either to show a world turned upside-down, or to make fun of the person being hunted as a fool or coward.
All images from the The Smithfield Decretals, c. 1300, except the last which is from the Gorleston Psalter, c.1300s. Open / Comment

2021-06-29 00:55:56 Defend our hometowns! Defend our fatherland! (Bi Cheng, China, 1951).
The poster is presumably aimed at Chinese soldiers fighting in the Korean War. A demonic Douglas MacArthur is attempting to throw a bomb over the wall to China, aided by another leader (perhaps Syngman Rhee?). Source Open / Comment

2021-06-27 00:51:09 Valentinian I (321-375), Roman Emperor 364-375, has a reputation as a cruel and brutal emperor. Notably, it is claimed that he carried two bears around with him, which he used to maul to death any servants and staff that irritated him.
His death, then, is poetic. He met with envoys of the Quadi tribe, who informed him that their recent conflict with Rome was owing to the building of forts in their territory. They also warned of further attacks from independent Quadi.
'The Roman Empire is in a sorry state if it has come to the point where such a worthless race of barbarians is not content to remain protected by their own land - but takes up arms, and treads on Roman territory, and plucks up courage for war.'
Upon shouting this apoplectic tirade at the no doubt bemused envoys, he collapsed and died, likely as a result of a stroke.
Image Open / Comment