NB! · Observations · Humour

My to You, Gentlemen

Archaeology · Mores · Ethnography

There is a European maritime tradition of leaving money inside the hull of a ship

There is a European maritime tradition of leaving money inside the hull of a ship. Underwater archaeologists often find coins embedded in the remains of sunken vessels. Do you know why coins are set into a ship's frame? So that, should the vessel be wrecked, the drowned sailors

Engraving of a young woman in a bonnet standing before a man in a wig reclining on a sofa among many cats.

NB! · Interviews · London · People · Humour

Engraving of Peg Woffington and theatre agent John Rich, who kept 27 cats

The actress Peg Woffington's first interview with the famous eighteenth-century theatrical manager John Rich. Mr Rich is best known for keeping 27 cats, with whom he is depicted in the illustration. Yours truly

A darkened metal object with a relief scene of soldiers and a wooden part at one edge lies on a light surface.

NB! · Archaeology · Observations

Object found in a field with a relief depiction of soldiers

Sent in by a subscriber: her friend found it in a field. What do you think it is?

NB! · Cinema · Humour

But after that stick wrapped in a rag from the series "Spartacus", the sponge option is sheer luxury

A wooden stick with a sponge at one end lies on a white background beside a small dark coin.

NB! · Archaeology · Mores · Rome · Humour

Stick with a sponge as the Roman method of hygiene instead of toilet paper

This stick with a sponge is all you need to know about the Roman way of wiping oneself. And not a scrap of toilet paper

NB! · Art · Society · Pop Culture · Humour

What to Do When Telegram Is Blocked

What to do when Telegram is blocked. Francisco Goya, 1820, Doctor Arrieta knows how to help

Monarchies · Mores · Society

Age of consent in Britain and Russia from Edward I to the laws of 1886

In 1837, when Victoria came to the throne, the age of consent in Britain was 12, and only in 1875 was it raised to 13. Needless to say, child prostitution flourished thanks to this provision. Although Edward I, who reigned in the thirteenth century, had introduced severe penalties for rape,

NB! · Art · Observations · Humour

Armpit hair is rather unusual in sixteenth-century sculpture

NB! · Faith · Art · Observations

A relief of 1500-1504 by Tullio Lombardo from the Basilica of Saint Anthony in Padua

A relief of 1500-1504 by Tullio Lombardo from the Basilica of Saint Anthony in Padua. An interesting detail on the figure of the repentant son: hairy armpits. Note how the curls have been worked.

Hand-coloured print of a woman in a flower-trimmed straw hat holding a strapped tray of sample shoes, with boots hanging from her skirt.

NB! · Art · Mores · Humour

A Shoe Seller Displaying Sample Wares in an Eighteenth-Century Print

A commonplace sight of the eighteenth century: a shoe-seller with her samples. Little golden slippers, fur-trimmed shoes and lace-ups, boots, mules and hefty brogues. A pair of the slutanskie ones for me, please

NB! · Observations · Society

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