Tablecloths were originally meant to serve as towels with which guests could wipe their hands and faces after dinner.
78
During the Black Plague, it was thought that bad smells were the cause of the plague. "Plague Doctors" therefore wore masks with long beak-like noses stuffed with flowers or smoke to hide the smells.
19
Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history: spades - King David, clubs - Alexander the Great, hearts - Charlemagne, and diamonds - Julius Caesar.
33
In 1518, a "dancing plague" struck Strasbourg, Alsace, whereby hundreds of people danced fervently in the streets over the period of a month. Some suffered heart attacks or strokes, and many others died from sheer exhaustion. It remains unexplained.
19
There’s a Swedish power metal band called “Sabaton” who teach history through their music, including an album devoted to teaching about World War Two.
30
In ancient Egypt, priests plucked EVERY hair from their bodies, including their eyebrows and eyelashes.
130
The time interval from first sighting of the iceberg that sank the Titanic to impact was a little over 30 seconds.
105