Indians of North America -- Dwellings; Woodland Indians
Long ago, before trade brought different goods and lifeways to this region, Native Peoples of the Woodland area made their homes, wiikiaami, from strong wood frames with natural coverings. This contemporary model was made from the traditional...
Until 1868, when master mechanic Reuben Wells built his special pusher engine, no train had been able to climb the Madison Hill in Madison, Indiana without help. Because the 55-ton Reuben Wells steam engine was capable of pushing more than 150 tons...
Ancient Egyptians believed in life after death. They developed a process, called mummification, to preserve the body after death for its use in the afterlife. During embalming, the process used to create a mummy, specific internal organs were...
According to Greek Mythology, the Trojan War was fought between Greece and Troy. The war started when the Trojan prince Paris abducted Helen, wife of Menelaus of Sparta. Surrendering, the Greek soldiers sailed away and left a wooden horse and one...
Indians of North America; Apache Indians; Apache baskets; Baskets; Containers; Pitchers
The Southwest Indians are well known for producing well made utilitarian baskets, as well as textiles, jewelry, and dolls. The various Apache tribes are well known for their coiled water jugs. This particular jug is covered with pine pitch inside...
Merry-go-round; Children's Museum of Indianapolis; Indianapolis (Ind.); Amusement parks; Indianapolis (Ind.) -- History.
Carousels have long been a favorite ride in amusement parks. This Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters carousel--with its Gustav Dentzel horses and "menagerie" animals—first thrilled Indianapolis children at White City Amusement Park in Broad...
Edison, Thomas A. (Thomas Alva), 1847-1931; Light bulbs; Electricity -- History
Thomas Alva Edison did not invent the light bulb, but he did make electric lighting for the home possible. This replica of Edison’s 1879 light bulb used a carbonized filament inside the glass bulb. The bulb produced light for forty hours which...
Prehnite is translucent light green crystals that often form a crust, coating the inside of cavities in volcanic rock. Prehnite is considered a minor gemstone and is cut and polished to form jewelry pieces. It was named after Colonel van Prehn, a...
Geologists often walk along rocky beaches near the town of Glenafric on the South Island of New Zealand. These scientists look for large gray rocks called concretions. When one of these rocks is located it is first gently examined, and then...
Septarian Nodules are ball-like structures that can be found all over the world in either very fine grained or clay sediments. Often times a shell fragment is at the center. It is composed of sandstone or clay cemented together by calcite or...
Think of an octopus or a squid that lives in a large, round shell and then you'll understand what a Chambered Nautilus is like. This creature has the ability to take water into a sac in its body, and then expel this water quickly, creating a cool...
The red abalone is a mollusk that clings to rocks below the low tidal zone among the waters of the west coast of the United States. This animal’s shell is shaped like a shallow bowl. The inside of this shell is covered with brightly iridescent...
These toys were made in the late 1950s as cereal premiums. There were ten different dinosaurs and eight different prehistoric beasts available inside boxes of Wheat Honeys and Rice Honeys.
Zoetropes; Optical illusions; 19th century; Toys; Motion Pictures -- History
The zoetrope or “wheel of life” was invented in 1834 as an optical toy that creates the illusion of motion. In this zoetrope, the images of a woodchopper are placed around the inside of a simple drum with an open top. There are slots around the...
Yoruba (African people); Yoruba (African people) -- Social life and customs; Twins; Mourning customs
Twins hold a special place among the Yoruba of Nigeria where they have the highest rate of twin births in the world. They are protected by the God of Twins, called Ibeji,” and are believed to have the power to bring good fortune, health and...
But Where Do You Sit? Frivolous, fun furniture in bright colors and kitschy themes expanded furniture's playfulness in the 1960s. Innovative Italian designers pioneered new ideas, materials and "anti-design" shapes in domestic...
These wooden fish decoys are hand carved from wood, painted to look like real fish with tin fins, contain metal weights inside and have no attached hooks. Fish decoys are used when fishing through ice to lure a fish into the range of a spear....
Indians of North America; Indians of North America -- Clothing; Clothing and dress; Oglala Indians; Oglala Indians -- Social life and customs; Footwear; Moccasins; Shoes
Moccasins are one type of traditional Native American footwear. Different types of moccasins were made for different climates and uses. Soft-sole moccasins were typically worn in Woodlands regions of the eastern United States where the ground was...
Momotoru, or Peach boy, is much loved by Japanese children. A toy figure like this would be carried by a child or stuck to the window in his or her bedroom. He is the main character in a folktale about an old childless couple who finds a baby boy...
Indians of North America; Indians of North America -- Northwest Coast of North America; Alaska; Indians of North America -- Alaska; Tlingit Indians; Tlingit Indians -- Social life and customs; Tlingit baskets; Indian baskets; Baskets; Basket...
The Tlingit people live in Southeastern Alaska, extending along the coast from British Columbia to Yakutat Bay in the north. Their baskets are often made of finely twined split spruce root decorated with false embroidery designs. Some baskets were...
