Japan; Japan -- Social life and customs; Netsukes; Horses in art; Zodiac; Mammoths
Netsuke were first worn in Japan in the 17th century. They were invented because traditional Japanese robes had no pockets. Men who wore them needed a place to keep personal belongings such as pipes, tobacco, money, seals, and medicines. They...
Many African cultures use divination oracles or devices as a method of predicting future events or making important decisions. The Baule peoples of the Ivory Coast use the Gberke, or mouse oracle. Oral tradition claims that long ago mice could...
In Japanese folklore there are seven treasures and seven deities of good luck. The deities include one from Japan, three from India, and three from China. The story begins on New Year's Eve, when the "treasure ship" with all seven deities...
Islam; Islam -- Customs and practices; Rugs, Prayer
Can you guess how this rug is used? It's not for home decoration, but for prayer. Rugs, such as this, are an important part of a religion called Islam. Islam is one of the world's major religions. Muslims, followers of Islam, are found in over 120...
Japan; Japan -- Social life and customs; Tea; Implements, utensils, etc.
In Japan, tea is an essential part of a picnic as well as virtually every meal. Although tea drinking originated in China, the earliest record of tea drinking in Japan dates to 729 AD. There are special ceremonies and utensils to prepare and drink...
Mexico; Mexico -- Social life and customs; Cookery, Mexican; Implements, utensils, etc.; Miniature objects
Probably the most important tradition in Mexico is the preparation of food. Mexican dishes provide a vast array of tastes, textures, and colors. This miniature figure shows a Mexican woman traditionally preparing tortillas. She has a metate and...
This Arsenio Hall autographed crew jacket is from the late-night Arsenio Hall Show which premiered January 3, 1989 and ran until May 27, 1994. The show was the "hip place" for talents like Michael Jordan, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Louis...
One of the most apparent features of the skull of a Great Horned Owl is the size of its eyes. All owls have large eyes that give them more efficient vision under low light conditions. Their eyes also have a ring of boney plates, called a sclerotic...
Toys; Airplanes; Lindbergh, Charles A. (Charles Augustus), 1902-1974; Spirit of St. Louis (Airplane); Transatlantic flights; Air pilots -- United States -- Biography; Souvenirs (Keepsakes); 1920s
In 1927 Charles A. Lindberg made the first non-stop flight across the Atlantic Ocean from New York, New York to Paris, France in his monoplane the Spirit of St. Louis. This historic flight took place just 25 years after the first successful...
Yoruba (African people); Yoruba (African people) -- Social life and customs; Chairs
In ancient and current Yoruba culture, people of importance are symbolically and physicallly separated from the rest of society. At specific times, the feet of alaase (rulers, priests and initiates) must not be in physical contact with the earth....
Airplanes; Airplanes -- Models; Toys; Paper toys; 1940s; World War 1939-1945
General Mills cereals made these toy model airplane kits complete with instructions in 1944. When tin toys were so popular, why would the toy be paper? During World War II (1941-45 for the United States), kids as well as adults had to "make...
Dolls; toys; Japan; Dolls -- Japan; Japan -- Social life and customs; International relations; Cultural relations
In 1927, children in the United States sent over 12,000 dolls, with voices that said mama," to Japanese school children as a gesture of friendship. Japan responded by sending Miss Shimane and her sisters as a thank you. First, a national...
Miniature objects; Mexico; Mexico -- Social life and customs
Either spread out on blankets in rural Mexico or in actual storefronts in larger cities, the market, or el mercado, remains the main outlet for buying all types of goods and wares. Markets provide tourists and local residents a selection of food,...
Inukshuks -- Canada; Indians of North America; Inuit; Cairns
Figures like this one, but much larger, can be seen in remote areas of Canada. There, the landscape is barren, without many landmarks to help people find their way. Years ago, people built their own landmarks out of stones, carefully chosen and...
Surveyors measure the surface of the earth. One of their main tools is a compass used to measure horizontal angles. This special kind of compass is called a circumferentor, and includes attachable fixed pieces used to get a directional reading of a...
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...
During the 1870s, also known as the Victorian era, ladies' hairstyles became much more elaborate, using lots of false hair. Small hats, like this one, rode this sea of curls like ships, tilted either forward or back secured by a ribbon or lace!...
Beetles belong to the largest order in the animal kingdom. These insects can be recognized by their armorlike wings, called elytra. Beetles are found almost everywhere and feed on all sorts of plant and animal material. They are known to eat...
Yoruba (African people); Yoruba (African people) -- Social life and customs; Stools; Furniture; Beadwork
The Kingdom of the Yoruba peoples in West Africa was once very vast. The king, or oba, was highly revered and appeared in highly decorative attire during public occasions. He always wore an elaborately beaded crown. At the turn of the century, when...
Bali (Indonesia : Province); Bali (Indonesia : Province)--Social life and customs. Indonesia; Indonesia--Social life and customs; Hair; Hairstyles
Balinese men once wore their hair in the elaborate style seen on this carving. Today, they typically wear their hair cut in a Western fashion, covered with a turban. This traditional hairstyle is still worn by Balinese girls for festive occasions....
