Inside the Ancient Bull Cult
King Minos and the Minotaur remain shrouded in mystery and mythology, yet evidence of a Bronze Age ‘Bull Cult’ at the Minoan palaces abounds. Were bulls merely for entertainment or did they have a deeper significance?
Cultural
War Among The Ruins
During the First World War, the deliberate destruction of western Europe's medieval heritage changed how people thought about their nations' pasts. Heritage tourism is one of the war's lesser-known legacies.
The Invention of the Flapper
More than a symbol of decadence, the flapper should be seen as a quest by women for agency, independence and escape from domesticity.
Colouring The Past
The development of interior painting schemes has a colourful, if hazardous, history.
The Savagery and Civility of the Thanksgiving Feast
A celebrated image of the first Thanksgiving presents an idealised view of a troubled relationship.
Refining the Body Beautiful
There is beauty to be had from the smallest of objects. In the 18th century, tweezers, toothpicks and clippers became the signs of a polite, and beautiful, society.
The Language of the Roman Empire
What language did the Romans speak? Latin was used throughout the Roman Empire, but it shared space with a host of other languages and dialects...
A Simpler Time ...
It is tempting to adopt a black-and-white view of the past, but history is complex and should be judged on its own merits.
Buying British
From Elizabethan laws to modern food campaigns: the long history of Britain's patriotic consumers.
Newswomen in Revolt
New US equality laws in the 1960s meant a revolution in journalism, as the women of the press fought for their place.