Did You Know?
Ancient Chinese nobles would grow their fingernails so long they needed gold sheaths.
Long fingernails were a status symbol indicating that one didn't need to perform manual labor. Some nobles would grow their nails up to 6 inches long and protect them with precious metal sheaths. This practice demonstrated both wealth and social position.
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The Ancient Greeks would vote to banish citizens using pottery shards.
Known as ostracism, citizens would write the name of someone they wanted exiled on pottery shards called ostraka....
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Medieval European courts employed professional jesters to criticize the king.
Court jesters were often the only people allowed to criticize rulers openly. Their role as entertainers provided immunity...
Did You Know?
In Victorian England, people would pose dead relatives for photographs.
Post-mortem photography was a common practice, often being the only photograph ever taken of a person. Specialized photographers...