Adangme (African people); Adangme (African people) -- Food; Food habits; Implements, utensils, etc.; Nigeria--Social life and customs
Like many places in the world, fast food chains are becoming more and more popular in Nigeria. However, most families continue to prepare and eat their meals at home. Because Nigerian culture is very community-centered, large meals are usually made...
AIDS (Disease); Wire craft; South Africa; Recycling (Waste, etc.); Plates (Tableware); Basket making; Handicraft
Wire basketry has a long tradition in South Africa. In the 1950s, telephone-wire baskets (or imbenge) became popular and have grown in popularity ever since. Among artists, the wire is known as "scooby-wire," or "scooby-do", or...
Akan (African people); Akan (African people) -- Social life and customs; Ghana; Ghana -- Social life and customs; Stools; Furniture
Personal stools are very important among the Akan peoples of Ghana. Among the Asante (a sub-group of the Akan), there is a very special bond between a person and his/her stool. An Asante proverb states, "There are no secrets between a man and...
Apache Indians; Apache Indians--Social life and customs; Bags
Native American men and women used a variety of bags and pouches to contain many of life's necessities around the home and for travel. Bags were traditionally made from various animal hides and fur, as well as woven materials. Women usually...
Apache Indians; Apache Indians--Social life and customs; Bags
Native American men and women used a variety of bags and pouches to contain many of life's necessities around the home and for travel. Bags were traditionally made from various animal hides and fur, as well as woven materials. Women usually...
Apache Indians; Apache Indians--Social life and customs; Bags
Native American men and women used a variety of bags and pouches to contain many of life's necessities around the home and for travel. Bags were traditionally made from various animal hides and fur, as well as from woven materials. Women usually...
Apache Indians; Apache Indians--Social life and customs; Bags
Native American men and women used a variety of bags and pouches to contain many of life's necessities around the home and for travel. Bags were traditionally made from various animal hides and fur, as well as woven materials. Women usually...
Apache Indians; Apache Indians--Social life and customs; Bags; Card games; Playing cards
Native American men and women used a variety of bags and pouches to contain many of life's necessities around the home and for travel. Bags were traditionally made from various animal hides and fur, as well as woven materials. This particular pouch...
Apache Indians; Apache Indians--Social life and customs; Implements, utensils, etc.; Awls; Tools
Native American men and women used a variety of bags and pouches to contain many of life's necessities around the home and for travel. Bags were traditionally made from various animal hides and fur, as well as woven materials. Women usually...
Apache Indians; Apache Indians--Social life and customs; Implements, utensils, etc.; Awls; Tools
Native American men and women used a variety of bags and pouches to contain many of life's necessities around the home and for travel. Bags were traditionally made from various animal hides and fur, as well as woven materials. Women usually...
Because it is found in many different colors, the name Apatite comes from the Greek “to deceive." Apatite can be found transparent (clear), translucent (cloudy), or opaque (cannot see through) and in colors from white to brown, green,...
One of the largest known beetles in existence, the Atlas Beetle can be found in the tropical areas of India, Indonesia, and Malaysia. This beetle is also often called the Three-Horned Beetle because of the characteristic horn-like projections that...
Birds; Animals, Fossil; Skull; South America -- History; Paleontology -- Tertiary
The Phorusrhacus is an extinct flightless bird often referred to as the “terror bird” because of its huge curved beak. This bird stood about 5 feet tall and was a major predator in South America during the Tertiary Period. Despite it’s...
Bowls; Egypt--Civilization--To 332 B.C.; Egypt--Social life and customs--To 332 B.C.; Egypt--Antiquities; Alabaster
Ancient Egyptians used a hard stone called alabaster to create many things, including vessels, sculptures, boxes, jewelry and to line tomb walls and the walls and ceilings of temples. Mined locally in Egypt, alabaster was dug out from open pits or...
Bush, George, 1924-; Nesting dolls; Russia; Russia -- Social life and customs
The art form of Matreshkas (often spelled Matroyshkas) is more than 100 years old. Matreshkas are commonly referred to as nesting dolls because each smallest doll stacks into a larger one. According to legend, the first nesting dolls were made by a...
Cartoon characters; Television and children; Television -- History; Animated television programs; Pajamas; Sleepwear; 1950s;
Winky Dink, a TV cartoon character, needed help from viewers in the first interactive TV program in the 1950s. On Saturday morning, children used a special crayon and plastic sheet on the TV screen to help Winky Dink when the character needed a...
Although played all over the world, chess is often considered a "royal game" because it was regularly played by the kings and nobles of feudal Europe. It probably originated as a war game in India during the 17th century (known as...
China; China -- History -- Han dynasty, 202 B.C.-220 A.D.; Lions; Lions in art; Sculpture
Chinese lions may not look much like actual lions from Africa, but they share many characteristics with mythical lions found in folklore traditions around the world. According to Chinese belief, lions chase away evil spirits and bring good luck,...
China; China -- History; China -- social life and customs; Fireworks; Firecrackers; Chinese New Year; Holiday decorations
Many Asian cultures, including people of China, celebrate the New Year in the spring. Because the Chinese calendar is based upon the lunar cycle, the New Year falls on a different day each year, usually in January or February. It symbolizes the...
China; China -- History; China -- social life and customs; Folk dancing, Chinese; Lions; Dance; Costume; Headgear; Chinese New Year
According to Chinese belief, lions chase away evil spirits and bring good luck, most likely because of their size, strength and fierce nature. Chinese lions are depicted as very colorful and stylized. This mask is a smaller version of a full-sized...
