Let's start with … school books. It might not be worth mentioning these books at all if they were ordinary textbooks, but they are unusual and experimental textbooks. Add to them two more classic books and a reader, and that’s our literary-historical six
Now winter is a time of holidays and gifts. But in ancient harsh times, one was supposed to rejoice only in the morning - the next morning after some special night, when the terrible gods and spirits came to collect their food in human lives. Faith in them has left its mark on many nations
History knows quite a few examples when the truth was distorted beyond recognition. This is especially noticeable when it comes to outstanding historical figures. The personalities of famous people are often overgrown with various myths and legends. Find out the unexpected truth about seven people who will always associate with what they have never really done in their life
The phrase "Sword of Damocles" has long and firmly entered our everyday life. Like many other catchphrases, she came to us from ancient Greek mythology. One of these legends tells of an ancient kingdom ruled by the incredibly cruel tyrant Dionysius. This ruler exercised his power with an iron hand, his subjects obeyed him unquestioningly. The state flourished, the king literally slept on gold, drank and ate. A rainbow picture, isn't it? What is the true story of Dionysius and what does the sword have to do with it?
For the Russian people, the belt was not just a functional wardrobe item, but also a strong amulet, enclosing its owner in a symbolic protective circle. It was believed that a properly girded person could not be harmed by evil spirits. Therefore, much attention was paid to the belt buckles, with the help of which the belt was closed and opened
"The spider, hated by Minerva, hangs her loose nets in the doorway" - this is exactly what Virgil wrote in "George". And it is not at all surprising that one of the most fascinating stories in Roman mythology is the myth of Arachne. First mentioned by Ovid, the myth follows the fate of Arachne, a weaver so skillful that she was able to challenge Athena / Minerva to a competition. Eventually, Arachne transforms into a spider to do what she knows best - weave
Amazons - notorious women who allegedly cut off their breasts, lived without men and fought fiercely, are still shrouded in secrets and myths to this day. Modern interpretations have taken them to a new level of popularity, making them the protagonists of films, one of which is Marvel's Wonder Woman. About who the ancient female warriors of the Amazon really were and how hundreds of legends about them arose - further in the article
Many have probably heard the word "oracle", but few attached importance to it, not really delving into the very essence. But for the ancient Greeks - the oracle was much more than just a person who knew how to predict the future. The transmission of divine knowledge from god to mortal, also known as divination, played an important role in ancient Greek religion. Divination took many forms, from studying sacrificial entrails to interpreting the flight of birds. But perhaps the most important form of divination was the practice of
Among the antiquities of the Russian Middle Ages, a very special place is occupied by round pendant-medallions, on one side of which there is a canonical Christian image (Christ, the Mother of God, the Archangel Michael or various saints), and on the other - a "serpentine composition" - a head or figure surrounded by snakes
Which of the wonders of the ancient world are usually called on the fly, without preparation? It is unlikely that all seven, but in the first place on the list, most likely, will be the pyramid of Cheops, and in the second or third, certainly ahead of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus and the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, the Gardens of Semiramis will appear. And how can one forget this - a huge green mountain with terraces on which pear and pomegranate, grapes and figs grow, and all this is in the city in the middle of the desert! The history of these gardens, however, is vague: it is very likely that both they and themselve
People have always been attracted by the unknown distance. Everything mysterious and mysterious, lost and unattainable, invariably attracted various kinds of dreamers, treasure seekers and adventurers. Legends of cities of untold wealth, hidden in the heart of the Amazon rainforest, the search for a lost paradise and the location of the Holy Grail have all had a profound impact on human history. Find out more about the six most influential places on earth that have never been
Without exaggeration, he can be called the most closed TV journalist. He became famous thanks to the program "Television acquaintance", where he interviewed the most famous people, not hesitating to ask them uncomfortable questions. But from his own life, Urmas Ott made a secret and was in no hurry to reveal himself to even the closest people. And when he had trouble, he preferred to live it alone
They delighted their viewers with sparkling jokes and bright performances. It seemed that their whole life is as easy and fun as a game. However, outside the club, real tragedies happened in their lives. KVN stars lost loved ones, they were given terrible diagnoses, and sometimes the lives of the game participants themselves ended tragically
Centaurs are one of the most mysterious creatures in Greek mythology. These half humans, half horses were a combination of human and natural. Ancient people portrayed them as akin to barbarians, and there are many legends around their origin. Where did the stories about centaurs come from and what were they really like?
For thirty years viewers gathered every Sunday in front of television screens to make another fascinating journey together with Yuri Senkevich, host of the "Travelers' Club". He himself never dreamed of fame, but was engaged in serious research, was a military doctor and even planned to fly into space. But he had a completely different fate
On the edge of the famous Sahara Desert, there is a lost city that has been hidden by the sands for over a thousand years. The first person to stumble upon this ghost town was a Scottish explorer back in the 18th century. Nobody believed him when he told about it. Timgad was completely excavated in the 1950s. What has revealed to archaeologists the most impressive city of the remains of the great Roman Empire?
If in a specially selected book one marks individual letters with a needle - slightly, almost imperceptibly - so that read one after another, they form a certain message, then it will turn out … no, not yet a cipher, but only its predecessor. Such "book" messages were left even before the onset of a new era. However, they also began to encrypt the text, that is, to turn it into something incomprehensible
Many monarchs have long remained in the hearing only because of funny and strange nicknames, like brother Richard the Lionheart John the Soft Sword (and yes, this is not only about weapons). And other monarchs simply entered the line of conditionally good rulers - and also thanks to nicknames. Although the names and dates of life of kings with these nicknames often hide bloody deeds or just funny stories
The Roman Empire was and remains one of the most prominent states that have ever existed. Her story is full of countless leaders, brave personalities, crooks and simply greedy rich people, hungry for profit and willing to do whatever they want to satisfy their desires. Your attention - seven original stories of that time, which can easily give odds to the scenario of "Game of Thrones"
The collection of waste paper is remembered by those who went to school in the seventies and eighties of the 20th century. Forests at that time were sharply reduced, there was a shortage of paper, which led to the intensification of the collection and processing of secondary raw materials. The responsibility for this important process was assigned to the pioneers. In 1974, compulsory waste paper collection began, carried out twice a year. Read how schoolchildren collected paper, entered into contracts with retirees and what dishonest methods were used by waste receivers
Roman civilization was one of the most powerful in the ancient world. During its heyday, Rome controlled an area from modern-day Great Britain to Mesopotamia with a population of up to one hundred million citizens. But behind all this success and power, someone was definitely behind, someone who craved power, weaving intrigues and intrigues, so the antics of the Lannister family from Game of Thrones are childish pranks, compared to what was happening in the days of the Ancient Rome and beyond
For any person, there is only one irresistible thing - the force of gravity. It constantly pulls people and everything around directly down to the earth. But when you see the movements of the famous singer and dancer Michael Jackson, stereotypes collapse before our eyes. The King of Pop Proved to be a Talented Inventor and Learned to Ignore Gravity
Waltz or cancan? Tango or foxtrot? Rock and roll or lambada? Find in each pair an indecent dance that would disgrace the gray hair of the parents of unlucky dancers. If you know well the history of the last two centuries, then do not hesitate to choose all six dances and add a couple more from yourself. For example, matchish and charleston. What was terrifying in these youth dances of other generations? The adults did not hesitate to explain what exactly
Belly dance has excited the imagination of the European man in the street since the time when the first peaceful travelers to the Islamic East were able to describe it, and the first orientalist artists - to depict it in paintings. There are many stereotypes around this dance, there are many legends about it, and after entering the European stage, when the dance threw off the flair of mystery, there are still a lot of stereotypes and legends, except that they themselves have changed somewhat
They lived together for more than 40 years and all this time they held hands, trying not to part for a minute. They met at a time when Irina Chagadaeva was only 16 years old, and Igor Moiseev had already celebrated his 35th birthday. But before the beginning of their great feeling, more than three decades had to pass. Many years later, Igor Moiseev will say that everything serious in his life began from the moment of his marriage to Irusha
It is no secret that many Soviet works had originals in foreign literature. But the writers so masterfully adapted the content, and sometimes changed the plot lines, that the new versions were much more interesting and more successful than the original. This article contains characters from Soviet fairy tales that have become much more popular than the original heroes
What could be better on a cold autumn evening than wrapped in a cozy blanket and immersed in watching a romantic comedy? Not so long ago, the popular British edition of The Independent has compiled a rating of the best romantic comedies of all time, which includes 34 films worthy of the audience's attention. In our today's review, we invite you to get acquainted with the top ten best rom-coms
At the Riga Film Studio, founded 80 years ago, many good films were shot, which viewers are happy to watch today. Since its separation into a separate production in 1948, the studio has never interrupted its activities and annually released 10-15 films on the screens of the Soviet Union. Unfortunately, today television rarely indulges viewers with showing films of the Riga Film Studio, although among them there are real masterpieces
Soviet thrillers, despite the fact that they were filmed a long time ago, can still amaze the viewer today. The directors even then managed to create an atmosphere of anxious expectation and hopelessness, keep them in suspense and even cause a chilling chill. A fascinating plot, talented acting and perfectly selected music only increase emotional tension and do not allow you to take your eyes off the screen
In recent years, interest in the past has grown steadily. Hollywood filmmakers are increasingly trying to revive the television projects of the 1990s, while Russian directors, one after another, release films and series, the events of which develop during the Soviet era. Our today's review presents the best TV series about life in the USSR, thanks to which you can feel the atmosphere of a bygone era
The weakening of the hard regime that followed the death of Joseph Stalin lasted for about 10 years. The thaw touched not only the internal political life of the Soviet Union, but also creativity. The artists were given more freedom as censorship was relaxed at the time. In the period from the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s, quite a few fascinating films were released on Soviet screens, which became a symbol of the era. Some of them are still watched with great pleasure by the audience
Film students should surely know the history of cinema and be familiar with the best films of all time. Harvard University has recommended 725 films of different genres and directions for compulsory viewing for its students applying for a PhD in film studies. We want to invite our readers to pay attention to domestic films from this list
Soviet cinema was distinguished by some kind of special warmth and emotionality. Stunningly talented actors and outstanding directors have created real cinema. Stories about exploits and historical tapes, emotional family films and parables, science fiction, adventures, detective stories - more than one generation grew up and was brought up in these films. We invite you to recall the most sincere Soviet films that still captivate the viewer today
Many Soviet films have long become classics, they are loved and revised several times, and the plot and the words of the characters are known by heart. However, there are among the samples of Soviet cinema and those that have been undeservedly forgotten, and TV channels seem to ignore their existence. Nevertheless, these films deserve no less attention from viewers than, for example, the same "Winter Cherry" or "Vacation at your own expense"
When the TV series “Don't Be Born Beautiful” was released, the character played by Vitaly Egorov became one of the most popular and recognizable. The audience vied with each other to quote the eccentric fashion designer Milko, trying to copy his inimitable accent. It was then that real success in the cinema came to the actor. Subsequently, Vitaly Egorov starred in many films and TV series, but the image of Milko is still the most recognizable. How did the fate of the talented actor develop in the future?
The Oscar is the most important and prestigious award for filmmakers. The coveted golden statuette is the dream of directors and actors, screenwriters and composers who create soundtracks for films. In the entire history of Soviet cinema, only a few films have been awarded this serious award. And there weren't so many Oscar nominees from the Soviet Union
She was a student and favorite of Stanislavsky, she served all her life at the Moscow Art Theater and at the very beginning of her career she played characteristic old women. Television viewers recognized her in the image of the grandmother-storyteller from the films-fairy tales of Alexander Rowe. Offstage, she was unusually graceful, she had a lot of fans, Joseph Brodsky dedicated poems to her, the Japanese millionaire was ready to throw all his wealth at Anastasia Zueva's feet. She survived the betrayal of the closest people, and after that she suffered incredibly from consumer
The filmography of Evgeny Vesnik has more than a hundred works, including television performances. He also did voice acting, wrote books. The actor was loved by the audience and idolized by women, he had a truly multimillion army of fans. And only the actor's eldest son, his namesake Evgeny Vesnik, even many years after his father left, cannot hold back tears, listening to his monologue in front of the screen heir in the film "Once I Lied"
Kindergartens have been known since tsarist times. The first preschool institutions opened in Russia in the 19th century. Moreover, the educational program was borrowed from the Germans. Then the gardens were paid, private and inaccessible to ordinary people. And only in the era of the USSR did they become an integral part of Soviet life
She was in great demand during the Soviet era. For 37 years of creative activity, she managed to appear in almost 100 films and served in the theater-studio of a film actor all her life. In the filmography of Valentina Vladimirova there are many brilliant roles, but most of all she was remembered for her work in the films "Gloomy River", "Shadows disappear at noon", "Lyubushka", "Chairman". And only one role, which initially Valentina Vladimirova did not even want to agree, made many viewers turn away from her and