Is There a Witch Bottle in Your House?
In the 16th-18th centuries, vessels filled with nails, thorns, hair, and other materials, were used as a form of ritual protection against witches.
What Ever Happened to the Beetheads?
A lighthearted look at Americans' nicknames of yore, from master humorist H. L. Mencken.
How the Beat Generation Became “Beatniks”
The rebellious culture of the Beat Generation was coopted into fodder for a marketable lifestyle.
The Codpiece and the Pox
A brief history of the codpiece, that mysterious garment favored by 16th-century gents who just may have been covering up their cases of syphilis.
The Invention of the Giveaway
The appeal of the free gift has always been, for the consumer, about the eternal dream of getting something for nothing.
Why Did the Victorians Harbor Warm Feelings for Leeches?
Medical authorities wrote about leeches as if they sucked blood out of the goodness of their hearts.
When Cemeteries Became Natural Sanctuaries
In the 19th century, bucolic, park-like cemeteries started cropping up on the outskirts of American cities.
The Extremely Real Science behind the Basilisk’s Lethal Gaze
According to the extramission theory of vision, our eyes send out beams of elemental fire that spread, nerve like, to create the visual field.
Witches’ Marks Protected Spaces from Evil
Throughout history, people tried to protect spaces from evil with apotropaic marks, ritual concealments, and other charms.
Why Did “Thieves’ Cant” Carry an Unshakeable Allure?
If thieves’ cant—a language known only to criminals—was the Devil’s cabinet, bourgeois society couldn’t help but peep inside.