Miscellaneous 2024, November

5 fabulously expensive rings whose owners wished to remain incognito

5 fabulously expensive rings whose owners wished to remain incognito

From time immemorial, any jewelry has attracted attention, becoming almost an integral part of the image and prestige. Rings, which were often considered a symbol of power and power several centuries ago, were not an exception, because only a few could afford a ring or a ring with a stone at that time

What was kept in a hiding place of prisoners, which was found in one of the ovens of Auschwitz

What was kept in a hiding place of prisoners, which was found in one of the ovens of Auschwitz

Auschwitz was the worst, most terrible of all concentration camps built by the Nazis. This real hell on Earth, created by human hands, cannot be forgotten, forgiven and corrected. Now on the territory of this nightmare place there is a museum. People must remember the horrors that took place here, so that they never repeat. Recently, workers were reconstructing one of the Auschwitz stoves and found a cache in the chimney containing various tools. Who and for what purpose hid all these items there?

Secret Lovers from Auschwitz: Meeting 72 Years Later

Secret Lovers from Auschwitz: Meeting 72 Years Later

At the monument to those killed in Auschwitz, there is a memorial plate on which is carved: "May this place be for centuries a cry of despair and a warning for mankind, where the Nazis destroyed about one and a half million men, women and children, mostly Jews, from different countries of Europe." And staying in this terrible place on Earth, people found the strength not only to preserve their human appearance, but to show the highest degree of spirituality. People have not lost the main ability - the ability to love. Spus

In memory of Willie Tokarev: Kuban Cossack, Honored Jew of Brighton Beach and People's Artist of the World

In memory of Willie Tokarev: Kuban Cossack, Honored Jew of Brighton Beach and People's Artist of the World

Willie Tokarev passed away on August 4, 2019. He did not have any official awards, however, thanks to his talent, he received many unofficial titles. One of the most popular performers of Russian chanson has always followed his dream. For the sake of the opportunity to record his own disc, he left for America, and having achieved his goal, he began to dream of returning to his homeland. Willie Tokarev, a life-loving, open-minded and talented person, passed away at the age of 85

What is known today about 6 legendary treasures lost during World War II

What is known today about 6 legendary treasures lost during World War II

War always brings with it not only grief and death, but also general chaos. In this position, it is very convenient to engage in robbery. This can be done with absolutely impunity and simply endlessly. This is exactly what the Nazis did during World War II. The destroyed and stolen priceless works of art, artifacts and other treasures were simply innumerable. This list contains the most famous treasures lost by mankind in the crucible of World War II

Genetic research: Why is there so much controversy over whether the Russians are Slavs?

Genetic research: Why is there so much controversy over whether the Russians are Slavs?

At various times, the Russians were assigned a diametrically opposite genetic past. Some anthropologists and geneticists advocated the predominance of Finnish roots in the gene pool of Russian people, others defended Slavic origin. Literally everything was used as an evidence base: from the external similarity of Russians with other peoples to their historical past, languages and genes

Game of Thrones Reality Characters: Historical Figures Who Could Become Muses of George Martin

Game of Thrones Reality Characters: Historical Figures Who Could Become Muses of George Martin

The final season of Game of Thrones has already delighted fans from all over the world with the release of the first series, and therefore the pages on the Internet are full of interesting and not very interesting articles with a detailed analysis of trailers, various moments from the series itself, around which for several years in a row disputes and intrigues have not subsided, who finally, he will sit on the Iron throne. But let's digress from this for a minute and go on a small excursion through history, where we will try to consider in detail the characters from the fantastic sa

Adolf Hitler and other controversial and controversial personalities that Time magazine called "Person of the Year"

Adolf Hitler and other controversial and controversial personalities that Time magazine called "Person of the Year"

The question of who can be considered a landmark figure in history is very difficult and always arouses heated controversy. If, for example, a major state leader has thousands of human lives, does he have the right to be considered great or should he be consigned to oblivion? What about Hitler? Every December since 1927, the world famous weekly Time selects a Person of the Year. And sometimes this title was awarded to very controversial figures

10 most recent ad failures: Who is being criticized on the web today and for what

10 most recent ad failures: Who is being criticized on the web today and for what

Advertising is a product of the creative genius of a person who, no, no, and will fail, showing the whole world extraordinary, often incomprehensible, and sometimes completely insane decisions, due to which scandals instantly break out around the world's major brands. Throughout the history of advertising, many creative minds have faced the problem of rejection of their creativity, with the fact that end consumers see in a beautiful picture or video is not at all what was put in them, thereby significantly

White-skinned handsome men who drink a lot and are much more cunning than the Jews: How foreigners imagined their Slavic neighbors

White-skinned handsome men who drink a lot and are much more cunning than the Jews: How foreigners imagined their Slavic neighbors

The ancient Slavs never left foreigners indifferent. This unique people, which cannot be outsmarted or defeated, seemed mysterious and incomprehensible. And the isolation and some closeness of our ancestors, combined with their dissimilarity to other peoples, gave rise to the most incredible rumors in the minds of foreigners. Some of these myths were more or less close to the truth, some were quite far from reality

The golden age of Georgia: the reign of the legendary Queen Tamara

The golden age of Georgia: the reign of the legendary Queen Tamara

The end of the 12th century in world history was marked by civil strife between the Russian princes and crusades against Jerusalem. And only for Georgia there comes a fertile time called the Golden Age. It was during this period that Queen Tamara was in power. This legendary ruler managed not only to stay on the throne, but also to expand the state borders

Dung, Wine and Leather Husbands Substitutes: How Women Was Healed in Ancient Greece

Dung, Wine and Leather Husbands Substitutes: How Women Was Healed in Ancient Greece

Although the Greeks were of the same marriage, the life of the Greek women was similar to that traditionally led in Muslim countries. Greek women lived in the female half of the house and went out into the city only as a last resort, hiding their faces with a veil. It was believed that it is best not to do this until old age. But it was not only everyday life that presented difficulties. The ideas about the anatomy of women and their treatment were, in the modern opinion, completely savage

Well, the devilry: Devilish services, from which Hannibal himself would have been delighted

Well, the devilry: Devilish services, from which Hannibal himself would have been delighted

They do not just look at you, winking ominously and opening their mouths in an attempt to bite more painfully, but greedily reaching out with their hands and striving to grab it tighter. And you sit, blinking your eyes, still not understanding what the hell is going on around, and why the cups and plates are more like dishes from a horror movie, in which you happened to be against your will, where the picture changes one another and at the table next to you and opposite are girls in eerily faceless masks, willingly adding

What were the Vikings in fact, and how to determine the makings of a Viking

What were the Vikings in fact, and how to determine the makings of a Viking

Thanks to popular films and books, today many modern myths have emerged around the ancient Vikings, fanned by a halo of romance and adventure. However, recent historical research has revealed a lot of new things about the life, travel and wars of the ancients from the Scandinavians

10 Viking inventions that tell a lot about their life and history

10 Viking inventions that tell a lot about their life and history

Today, the Vikings are more often remembered as the brutal barbarian raiders who sowed death and enslaved the survivors of their raids. And few people remember that the Vikings were talented engineers, whose inventions gave them significant advantages in military affairs, in trade, in shipping and other occupations. We have collected ten amazing inventions that open the veil of secrecy over the way of life and history of the Vikings

10 little-known facts about the Sumerians - representatives of the first civilization of mankind

10 little-known facts about the Sumerians - representatives of the first civilization of mankind

Sumer was one of the oldest civilizations on Earth. More than 7000 years ago, the Sumerians built the roads and walls of their first city. They were the first in the history of mankind to leave their homes and tribal houses, abandoning the usual farming and cattle breeding, and moved to live in a real city. today there are few artifacts that could tell something about life in 5000 BC, nevertheless, scientists carefully study all the finds and can already tell about the life of the Sumerians

Magician doctor Nikolai Bulev: from royal favor to disgrace - one prediction

Magician doctor Nikolai Bulev: from royal favor to disgrace - one prediction

For more than a decade, historians, archaeologists and "black" diggers have been looking for the library of Ivan the Terrible. According to contemporaries, it was thanks to her that the first Russian tsar amazed everyone with his erudition. It is believed that among the books of this library is the first medical encyclopedia in Russia, compiled by the doctor Nikolai Bulev. So what kind of person was he, and why even kings and bishops fearlessly entrusted their lives and health to a doctor-astrologer of German origin, and how he managed to influence

"Memento mori": the most famous and beautiful cemeteries in the world, where you can touch eternity

"Memento mori": the most famous and beautiful cemeteries in the world, where you can touch eternity

For many people, cemeteries are a symbol of sadness and grief for departed relatives. It is also a place for contemplation and appreciation of life. And some of the visitors may even find something beautiful here

Whose fortress city Kaliningrad really is, and why neighbors fought for it for centuries

Whose fortress city Kaliningrad really is, and why neighbors fought for it for centuries

The remote and geographically separated Kaliningrad Region has a special position among other regions. The history of the westernmost regional center is of great interest to scientists. From the German Königsberg, the city became Russian Kaliningrad after the Second World War. But his story began much earlier, and he also had a chance to visit a Russian city until 1945

How the fire fountains appeared: the joke of Peter I and the terrible secret of Peterhof

How the fire fountains appeared: the joke of Peter I and the terrible secret of Peterhof

Imagine: you are walking through Peterhof Park, enjoying the beautiful weather and cultural recreation, when suddenly a stream of water falls on you from nowhere. With a squeal, you leave the "affected area", when you suddenly discover that everything is already over. The cloudless sky seems to be laughing at you. If it were not for wet clothes and streams of water on the park path, one would have doubted whether it really was all this. Congratulate yourself, Peter I himself just joked with you, you stumbled upon one of his banner

The Germans are the leaders of the Russian Slavophiles, or where did the name Svetlana and the myth of Old Russian Sanskrit come from?

The Germans are the leaders of the Russian Slavophiles, or where did the name Svetlana and the myth of Old Russian Sanskrit come from?

As you know, in Russia in the nineteenth century there were analogues of modern globalists and anti-globalists: Westernizers and Slavophiles. Because of the name of the movements, some think that only ethnically pure Slavs were taken as Slavophiles, but many of them were in fact Germans. Moreover, some Russian Germans can be called among the leaders and ideologists of the Slavophiles

10 monarchs who went to the next world straight from their own restroom

10 monarchs who went to the next world straight from their own restroom

Commonly Known Fact: Elvis Presley died in his restroom. However, he is not one of the famous people who ended his life in this way - there are many cases in history when even monarchs left for another world in the toilet. In this overview, stories that look comic and tragic at the same time

Universal antidote, damask steel and other valuable things that humanity has lost forever

Universal antidote, damask steel and other valuable things that humanity has lost forever

It is generally accepted that the present is far more "advanced" than the past in every respect. However, everyone forgets that in the past many very amazing things were discovered or invented, which for one reason or another were lost forever. Some of them just appeared "at the wrong time", others were not appreciated. In any case, the past also has something to brag about

5 loving couples who, like in a fairy tale, died on the same day

5 loving couples who, like in a fairy tale, died on the same day

These couples have very little in common - they are from different eras, from different classes, and the degree of reliability of information about their existence is also different. What they have in common is that they were destined to die with a difference of less than a day. “We lived happily and died in the same day” - what is behind this cliché from fairy tales?

Unloved Queen: Why the day of the death of Mary the Bloody became a holiday for the British

Unloved Queen: Why the day of the death of Mary the Bloody became a holiday for the British

"Bloody Mary" is not only a world famous alcoholic drink, it is also an informal title that was borne by the English Queen Mary Tudor over the centuries that have passed since the day of her death. Not a single monument was erected to this extremely unpopular ruler in her homeland, and even her tombstone is decorated only with a statue dedicated to her neighbor. How did this once sweet and modest English princess become a cold-blooded tyrant?

How the governor of God fell victim to a "harem" conspiracy: Ramses III

How the governor of God fell victim to a "harem" conspiracy: Ramses III

We know about the reign of this pharaoh, who lived more than three thousand years ago, thanks to an old document - the Harris Papyrus. It tells in detail, on behalf of Ramses III himself, about the incredible prosperity of the country as a result of his wise rule: “I allowed the army and the charioteers to be idle”, “I covered the whole earth with green orchards and allowed the people to rest in their shade”. Despite the rosy picture, Ramses III became a victim of assassins, although such a crime was

Mummy for Lunch and Obelisks for Sale: How the Heritage of Ancient Egypt Was Treated in Enlightened Europe

Mummy for Lunch and Obelisks for Sale: How the Heritage of Ancient Egypt Was Treated in Enlightened Europe

There is a popular myth that the Europeans were very careful about Egyptian antiquities, and the Arabs and Copts, on the contrary, and therefore there is absolutely nothing wrong with the fact that the Europeans exported mummies, statues and treasures from Egypt. Alas, in fact, it does not correspond to reality. Former egyptomania of Europeans makes archaeologists with tears in their eyes count the losses for history

How to cook 1000-year-old dishes today that the inhabitants of Ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt or Rome ate

How to cook 1000-year-old dishes today that the inhabitants of Ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt or Rome ate

Cooking is one of the oldest arts. Even in very distant times, a person tried not only to cook food, but to combine the ingredients so that a satisfying and tasty dish was obtained. Also, since ancient times, people began to write down recipes, so today scientists have the opportunity to cook dishes that the inhabitants of Ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt or Rome ate. Interestingly, many of the oldest recipes have survived to this day, being part of the national cuisine

Why men wear makeup: the world history of men's makeup

Why men wear makeup: the world history of men's makeup

Stylist Armin Morbach shocked the whole world by releasing a project in which a brutal red-haired bearded man paints his lips with lipsticks of famous brands. Half of the ladies who saw the photo are ready to squeak from whatever the freckled handsome man does in the frame, the other half is outraged: the men have seized their sacred things. The truth is that throughout human history, including the history of Russia and Europe, men have used makeup quite actively

How the sisters of Mozart and other famous personalities proved that humanity has lost thousands of gifted women

How the sisters of Mozart and other famous personalities proved that humanity has lost thousands of gifted women

"The Mozart sister effect", in a narrow sense, is a phenomenon when, out of deep prejudice, parents educate their son and do not give or forbid his daughter to receive him with the same giftedness. Often giftedness, as history shows, is shown by the whole family, and not just one person in it, so in a broader sense, the effect is also spoken about in the case when the sister of a genius did not receive attention and education at all, which, no doubt, buried her talent

How a student of Moscow State University became a mentor to the "Night Witches" and gave the Germans a real hell

How a student of Moscow State University became a mentor to the "Night Witches" and gave the Germans a real hell

Among the female heroes of the Second World War, Evgenia Rudneva stands out. This girl, a native of the so-called golden youth, became a real aviation ace, and literally performed feats almost every day. The fascists called the fearless pilots from her regiment "night witches" and were seriously afraid of the appearance of their planes. On account of the fragile girl 645 sorties

Stars and addictions: 10 domestic celebrities who took illegal substances

Stars and addictions: 10 domestic celebrities who took illegal substances

It has been known for a long time that many celebrities use drugs to obtain unprecedented pleasures. They try not to think about the consequences, they live in one moment. However, after a while, everyone comes to understand: life is rapidly going downhill. Some have enough strength to stop at the edge of the abyss, while others just leave in a narcotic fog. But many could write and sing many more good songs, play their best roles. Drugs have robbed them of this opportunity

Illustrations from the most expensive printed book ever sold at auction: The Birds of America Album

Illustrations from the most expensive printed book ever sold at auction: The Birds of America Album

The first edition of this masterpiece of book art was printed in Edinburgh and London from 1827 to 1838. The amazingly accurate life-size illustrations of birds by the American naturalist J.J. Audubon are hand-painted prints. In 2010, at Sotheby's, a copy of Birds of America from Lord Hesketh's collection was sold for $ 11.5 million. Several editions of this rarity are kept in the largest libraries in Russia

Wild Nuns, Heartbreaker Queen, Pope's Orgy: The Most Spicy Scandals of the Renaissance

Wild Nuns, Heartbreaker Queen, Pope's Orgy: The Most Spicy Scandals of the Renaissance

Although during the Renaissance there was no television or yellow press in Europe, scandals provided no less food for gossip and were discussed just as widely - from spicy curiosities from the life of townspeople to the antics of the powerful. Fresh news was transmitted orally, in letters or in illegally printed libels, and, although by the time it spread to every corner of Europe, it was no longer so fresh, it still caused a storm of emotions. Here are just a few scandals from the life of stars and ordinary citizens of the era

Roads that choose us: A dedication story to Vincenzo Irolli's painting "Girl with a Doll"

Roads that choose us: A dedication story to Vincenzo Irolli's painting "Girl with a Doll"

We are starting an experimental series of essays based on paintings by famous artists. All stories are fictional, but this does not mean that they could not have actually happened. "The Roads That Choose Us" - dedication to the painting by the Italian genre painter Vincenzo Irolli "Girl with a Doll"

10 non-mythological facts about crucifixion - a very common Roman execution in ancient times

10 non-mythological facts about crucifixion - a very common Roman execution in ancient times

Physical abuse and torture have been practiced in society for centuries. They were used to get information, to force a person to do something that he did not want to do, or as a punishment. Different cultures have their own methods of torture. The Romans used crucifixion extensively. And nail wounds were far from the only cause of anguish experienced by a person on the cross. Modern doctors know exactly what happened to the man who was crucified

Horns of Moses, "Pepsi" for the dead and other incidents of translators that have gone down in history

Horns of Moses, "Pepsi" for the dead and other incidents of translators that have gone down in history

History records many conflicts and misunderstandings in the diplomatic world, caused by banal translation errors. Some of them lasted for tens of years, causing confusion in the international relations of entire states. And even today, in the age of globalization, the language barrier continues to generate situations that often go far beyond the curiosity

Russian Bolshevik soldier whose courage was admired by the President of America

Russian Bolshevik soldier whose courage was admired by the President of America

In 1917, national movements intensified in all corners of the collapsed Russian Empire. The peoples of the Baltic states, which were helped by imperial Germany, also tried to gain independence. In 1918, clashes with the Bolsheviks took place in Latvia, during which the Germans showed themselves not as "good" soldiers, but rather as bloodthirsty barbarians. But the president of America learned about the courage of a simple Russian Bolshevik soldier

Oprichnina of Ivan IV: Petty tyranny of a formidable tsar or the need for a cruel era

Oprichnina of Ivan IV: Petty tyranny of a formidable tsar or the need for a cruel era

The reign of the first Russian tsar has not yet received an unambiguous assessment. Some scholars consider this period the most cruel in the history of Russia, others are inclined to consider it a significant stage in the formation of the country's greatness. But everyone agrees that the oprichnina is the most controversial phenomenon of that time. Until now, it has not been possible to answer the main question: what is it? Cruel necessity or evil brainchild of a sick mind

What Russian dishes do foreigners dislike, and which foreign ones did not take root in Russia

What Russian dishes do foreigners dislike, and which foreign ones did not take root in Russia

The culinary delights that foreigners see on the festive tables of Russians sometimes drive them into a stupor. However, not all traditional European dishes were able to take root in Russia. So, what products and dishes of domestic cuisine do foreigners consider strange and even disgusting, and what foreign cuisine will not all Russians dare to try?