‘In the Shadow of Quetzalcoatl’ by Merilee Grindle review
In the Shadow of Quetzalcoatl: Zelia Nuttall & the Search for Mexico’s Ancient Civilizations by Merilee Grindle depicts a woman ahead of her time, yet very much a product of it.
Imperialism
Zambi of Palmares is Beheaded
On 20 November 1695, Zambi of Palmares – ruler of an ‘invincible’ community of former slaves in the Brazilian jungle – was killed by the Portuguese.
On the Spot: Erik Linstrum
‘In the US, people often think of British history as quaint or niche, instead of a central force in the making of global modernity.’
When Inca Mummies Came to Europe
Older than their Egyptian counterparts, the preserved remains of Andean peoples fascinated 19th-century Europe, leading to a ‘bone stampede’ for Inca mummies. But to what end?
On the Spot: Peter Carey
What historical topic have I changed my mind on? Colonialism. I now know that it had no redeeming features.
Signs of the Zodiac: The Dendera Dating Controversy
How ancient was ancient Egypt? How old is the world? And what happens when archaeology contradicts the Bible? When the Dendera Zodiac arrived in Paris, these questions exploded into the public sphere.
Did Hernán Cortés Murder His First Wife?
Within two months of arriving in New Spain, Catalina Suárez Marcaida, first wife of the conquistador Hernán Cortés, was dead. Did she meet with foul play?
The Valladolid Debate on the Rights of Indigenous People
Was the subjugation of indigenous peoples a just means to expedite Christianity? On 15 August 1550, a humanist scholar and a Dominican friar debated.
Fighting for the Enemy
European powers sought to colonise the world. They could not do so without the support of indigenous peoples.
All the World's a Prison
When the European powers began exporting convicts to other continents, they did so to create a deterrent and to establish new settlements across the world. Clare Anderson traces the history of punitive passages.