Sagas in History

Anne Boleyn’s coat of arms.

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 00:33:17 -0400

Anne Boleyn’s coat of arms.

A delicate mid-19th century gown.

Sat, 14 Apr 2012 22:29:27 -0400

A delicate mid-19th century gown.

Clawfoot tubs were luxury items in the late 19c. They were...

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:21:10 -0400

Clawfoot tubs were luxury items in the late 19c. They were typically made from cast iron and porcelain, and required more water than regular tubs.

The Pharos Lighthouse, also known as the Lighthouse of...

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:16:40 -0400

The Pharos Lighthouse, also known as the Lighthouse of Alexandria, was the tallest man-made structure of its time and one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It was built between 280 and 247 BC on the orders of Ptolemy I, who thought it would protect sailors from the rocky Pharos Island. Pharos was linked to the mainland and the city of Alexandria. It was somewhere between 393 and 450 ft. tall and made of pale stone. It was topped with four triton sculptures, a mirror for the sun’s reflection in the day, and a fire at night. When the Muslims took Egypt, they may have made it into a mosque. It was damaged horribly in the earthquakes of 956, 1303, and 1323, after which it was uninhabitable; it was finally destroyed utterly in 1480, when it was replaced by a medieval fort built by Sultan Qaitbay. Today, it is possible to dive and see the remnants.

Note- the Egyptian government wants to rebuilt the Lighthouse, which I think is awesome; however, reports state that they want to put a shopping mall inside it. Considerably less awesome.

Westminster Abbey is one of the most famous churches in all of...

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:02:40 -0400

Westminster Abbey is one of the most famous churches in all of England, as it is the burial and coronation site of most British monarchs, as well as the site of many royal weddings. It was built in Westminster, London, England in the Gothic Style. Traditionally, it is claimed that the site was founded in the time of Mellitus, the bishop of London, when a fisherman Aldrich saw a vision of St. Peter on the site. This is the explanation of why the Fishmonger’s society and Medieval fisherman gave gifts of salmon to the Abbey every year. It was positively founded by the 970’s, when St. Dunstan and King Edgar installed a group of Benedictine monks here. Edward the Confessor built the first church on the site in the Norman Romanesque style and consecrated it around 1065; he himself was buried there, and the chair he used for his coronation is still there, used for each successive coronation up to the present day. The first documented coronation in the Abbey was of William the Conqueror in 1066. The only image of the Abbey as it stood then is preserved in the Bayeux Tapestry. Construction of the present Abbey was begun in 1245 by Henry III. He rebuilt it in honor of Edward the Confessor; it was completed under Richard II. Henry VII added the chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. In 1940, it suffered minor damage during the Blitz but survived. Many royal weddings happened here, including Henry I and Matilda, Richard II and Anne, Queen Elizabeth II, Andrew Duke of York and Sarah Ferguson, and most recently, Prince William and Kate Middleton.

The number of famous people buried here is staggering. Here is a partial list: Edward the Confessor and wife, Edith; Henry III; Edward I and Eleanor; Edward III and Philippa of Hainault; Richard II and Anne; Henry V and Catherine; Edward V; Richard III’s wife Anne Neville; Henry VII and Elizabeth; Edward VI; Anne of Cleves; Mary I; Elizabeth I; James VI and Anne; Charles II; Mary II; William III; George II and Caroline; Mary, Queen of Scots; Neville Chamberlain; Charles Darwin; Sir Isaac Newton; William Gladstone; William Wilberforce; Robert Browning; Geoffrey Chaucer; Charles Dickens; Thomas Hardy; Rudyard Kipling; Laurence Olivier; Alfred Tennyson; and Henry Purcell.

This is a photo of a hansom cab, taken in 1877. Hansom cabs...

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:49:13 -0400

This is a photo of a hansom cab, taken in 1877. Hansom cabs served as a sort of taxi for Victorian clientele; they were invented in 1834 by Joseph Hansom, an architect from York, and quickly outstripped other modes of transportation in popularity due to how fast and light they were. They also only required one horse, making them cheaper; around 30 cents for a mile. They sat 2-3 passengers.

A small silk bag from 1900; the forerunner of the purse.

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:50:53 -0400

A small silk bag from 1900; the forerunner of the purse.

A mother-of-pearl and lace fan from the end of the 19th century

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:50:07 -0400

A mother-of-pearl and lace fan from the end of the 19th century

A gentleman’s silk waistcoat from the...

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 13:35:05 -0400

A gentleman’s silk waistcoat from the 1870’s-1880’s.

A brooch from 7th century Ireland made of copper and red enamel;...

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 13:23:51 -0400

A brooch from 7th century Ireland made of copper and red enamel; it would have been used as a garment fastener.

This looks like Ned Stark’s cloak clasp as Hand of the King in HBO’s Game of Thrones!

An Egyptian amulet necklace from the New Kingdom under Amenhotep...

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:44:45 -0500

An Egyptian amulet necklace from the New Kingdom under Amenhotep III c.a. 1390-1353BC. It was found in Upper Egypt.

A pair of Victorian wool-and-leather shoes from the...

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:40:59 -0500

A pair of Victorian wool-and-leather shoes from the 1860’s.

A silk Victorian dress from 1854-6 England.

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:38:59 -0500

A silk Victorian dress from 1854-6 England.

A German armet/helmet from 1510; made of steel. Weighs 6lbs,...

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:19:53 -0500

A German armet/helmet from 1510; made of steel. Weighs 6lbs, 3oz.

Shoes from Paris in the 1920’s; silk and leather.

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:15:59 -0500

Shoes from Paris in the 1920’s; silk and leather.

This gorgeous silk dress is from England in 1842.

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:11:21 -0500

This gorgeous silk dress is from England in 1842.

A torq is a large neck ring of metal, sometimes open at the...

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:09:02 -0500

A torq is a large neck ring of metal, sometimes open at the front, but difficult to remove. They are found in Scythian, Illyrian, Thracian, Celtic, and Viking cultures, in particular. They can be carved or decorated with gems and ornamented heads. Most likely they were status symbols, both for men and women, for those of high status; Celtic gods are depicted as wearing them typically. The Romans even adopted the torq for their distinguished soldiers.

The pictured torq is a 4th century example from France, made of bronze.

A gorgeous Victorian court gown from 1857-1860. Italian.

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:59:00 -0500

A gorgeous Victorian court gown from 1857-1860. Italian.

A still of Anne Hathaway as Jane Austen in the 2007 film...

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 12:49:45 -0500

A still of Anne Hathaway as Jane Austen in the 2007 film “Becoming Jane”.

-not my favorite film, but a beautiful shot nonetheless.

The Globe Theater was an Elizabethan style theater built in 1599...

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 12:46:28 -0500

The Globe Theater was an Elizabethan style theater built in 1599 by the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, more famously, Shakespeare’s troupe. It had a capacity of 3,000, open-air and 3 stories high; it had an apron stage that came out into the audience and a pit for those who could not afford seats, called “groundlings”. The ceiling and stage both had trapdoors, for clever entrances, and there was a balcony for iconic scenes such as the romantic balcony scene from “Romeo and Juliet”. It was burnt down on June 29, 1613 and completely shut down by the Puritans in 1642. The site now has a modern reconstruction, built in 1997.

I highly recommend visiting the reconstruction in London if you’re visiting; it is really cool to get a feel for the place.