Wherein medieval mail carriers let nothing stay their appointed rounds—except for the possibility of a quick buck. Several months ago our neighborhood’s mail carrier retired, forcing the postal service to find a replacement. In the interim between the previous carrier and our new carrier, this meant a series of fill-ins who were required to navigate … Read More
I Overshare Because I Overcare
Wherein the Romans used pre-digital social media to tell friends and family all about themselves and others—which could be a fatal mistake. The social media universe is all atwitter (yes, a terrible pun—we’re into more than just song lyrics around here) regarding a recent study which concluded people are terrible about remembering what personal information … Read More
Get You a Copper Kettle
Wherein medieval copper pots make you fashionable down to your bones. One of the things I find most interesting among archaeological and paleontological discoveries is when researchers can determine, frequently by examining bone specimens, the general diet of a local people group. For example, a recent find indicates some Neanderthals ate mushrooms, nuts and even … Read More
That’s a Pickle
Wherein the Egyptians knew the value of a pickle-fresh complexion. There’s nothing quite like a good pickle—not merely as floppy green planks beside your sandwich, but also as a terrorist-destroying antihero. Whether jazzing up a chicken salad or slaughtering rats and henchmen, it seems there’s little a marinated vegetable can’t accomplish. Even so, the ancient … Read More
