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...
Money; Africa, West; Africa, West--Social life and customs; Liberia; New Guinea
“Kissie Pennies" or "Gizzie Iron" are twisted iron rods, about 7 to 12 inches long, that were used as currency in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea in West Africa from the 19th to the mid 20th century. Rods were often bundled and...
Archery; Uniforms; Sports uniforms; Olympic Games (23rd : 1984 : Los Angeles, Calif.)
The United States hosted the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Athletes competing on the archery team wore jerseys like this one. One hundred forty nations competed in the 23rd Olympiad, but the Soviet Union, East Germany and twelve other eastern...
Olympics; Utah; Salt Lake City (Utah); Winter Olympic Games (19th : 2002 : Salt Lake City, Utah)
The mascots of the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics represented the land and culture of Utah and the American West. Inspired by images from ancient petroglyphs, Powder the Hare, Coal the Bear and Copper the Coyote were chosen as ideal icons for...
Indonesia; Indonesia -- Social life and customs; Sculpture; Indonesia -- Religion; Mythology, Indonesian; Folklore -- Indonesia; Sculpture
The Nias people live on the small island of Nias just west of the larger island of Sumatra in Indonesia. The Nias believe that their ancestors continue to watch over them and, if treated respectfully, give them guidance in life. Ancestor figures...
Alaskan king crab; Crabs; Decapoda (Crustacea); Crustaceans
King crabs, found in the Northern Pacific, are one of the largest crustaceans in the world. Crustaceans are marine animals with hard exoskeletons and jointed legs such as lobsters, shrimps and crabs. King crabs are a popular food source for humans....
Mayas; Mayas -- Social life and customs; Bowls (tableware); Monkeys in art; Pottery
Maya civilization, spreading through southeast Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize, reached its height around A.D. 300–900, known as the Classic Period. The Late Classic Period of Mayan culture produced some of the best artwork, including ceramics in...
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...
With the marriage to Emperor Zeno’s widow, Ariadne, Anastasius I became Emperor of Rome in A.D. 491. Anastasius ruled successfully for 27 years. One of his successes was coinage reform. By issuing a much wider range of bronze coins, Anastasius...
Egypt--Civilization -- To 332 B.C.; Jewelry, Ancient -- Egypt; Amulets
Ancient Egyptians adorned themselves with beautiful jewelry. Often, it included protective amulets, worn during life and during one's journey into the afterlife. An ordinary Egyptian woman probably would have worn this faience, glazed earthenware,...
Greece -- Civilization -- To 146 B.C.; Ceramic lamps
For thousands of years, artificial light has been used in homes, temples, and other places of importance. The first pottery lamps from Ancient Greece consisted of a small round-shaped pot with the wick draped over the side. It was soon discovered...
Military uniforms; Uniforms; United States. Army. Women's Army Corps; 1960s; Women soldiers; World War, 1939-1945 -- Participation, Female
During the 1960s, some women looked to the army for job opportunities and careers. The Women’s Army Corps (WAC) began after the United States entered World War II in 1942. Most women worked in administration, communication and health care fields...
Aldrin, Buzz; Armstrong, Neil, 1930-; Conrad, Pete, 1930-1999; Bean; Alan, 1932-; Shepard, Alan B. (Alan Bartlett), 1923-; Mitchell, Edgar D.; Irwin, James B. (James Benson); Scott, David Randolph, 1932-; Duke, Charlie, 1935-; Young, John; Schmitt,...
In 1969 when Neil Armstrong first set foot on the moon and said the words, "That's one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind," the world was changed forever. The Space Race, a huge part of American life in the 1960s, had been...
The Atlantic blue crab is a common site in both the coastal waters and finer restaurants along the eastern seaboard of the United States. The meat of these crabs is highly prized so these creatures are heavily fished to meet the demands of the...
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...
Virgil Ivan "Gus" Grissom from Mitchell, Indiana was one of the original "Mercury 7," the first astronauts chosen by NASA in 1959. He became the second American man in space in 1961 when he flew the Liberty Bell 7 Mercury...
Holidays -- Mexico; Mexico -- Social life and customs; All Souls' Day; Skeletons; Sculpture; Aztecs; Aztecs -- Religion; Aztecs -- Social life and customs
This skeleton, dressed in the clothing and accessories of an Aztec warrior, honors the roots of the Mexican celebration, El Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). This unique celebration grew from the blending of Aztec beliefs about death with...
Indians of North America; Indians of North America -- Clothing; Clothing and dress; Bags; Indians of North America -- Great Plains; Indians of North America -- Great Plains -- Social life and customs
Native American bags were often decorated with paint, beadwork, or quillwork with specific tribal designs. These designs sometimes revealed the specific use of the bag, such as a medicine bag or tobacco bag. This particular bag may have been...
Balances (Weighing instruments); Scientific apparatus and instruments; 1940s; Marian College (Indianapolis, Ind.); Indiana
This kind of scale is called an analytical balance. It was used in a laboratory to “weigh” objects (it actually measures the mass) and is very precise. The doors are there to keep away dust and air currents that may change the results of the...
Ever since Barbie arrived on the fashion doll scene in 1959, she has been one of the world’s best-selling toys. She was the creation of Mattel’s Ruth Handler, who watched her daughter Barbara pretending to be grown-up while playing with...
