European History

The sculpture of St. George before and after

Restorationist Botches 16th-Century Spanish Statue of Saint

Reports indicate a local priest hired an art teacher to restore the polychromatic wooden statue, with cartoonish results

Teams compete to form the tallest human towers, called castells—a centuries-old activity that creates quite the spectacle in Catalan public spaces.

Beyond the Headlines, Catalan Culture Has a Long History of Vibrancy and Staying Power

The autonomous Spanish region of Catalonia takes center stage at this summer's Smithsonian Folklife Festival

The hoard of £1 and £5 notes has a face value of about £30,000—or £1.5 million (roughly $2 million) in today’s currency

$2 Million in World War II-Era Cash Found Under Floor of Churchill's Tailor

The 30 bundles of £1 and £5 notes were likely stashed away amidst wartime uncertainty

Mary Quant and models at the Quant Afoot footwear collection launch, 1967

The V&A Wants Your Help Locating Vintage Mary Quant Designs

The Welsh fashion designer pioneered high street fashion, popularizing bright patterns, miniskirts and hot pants

How Edward the Confessor's Advisor Seized Power

In 1066, the English king Edward the Confessor lay dying in his bed. Three powerful men had strong claims to succeed him

How a Copper Coin Mummified a Baby's Hand

The preemie was buried in a jar in an medieval cemetery with a coin to "pay" for passage into heaven

An aerial photograph shows the new museum’s proximity to the ancient arena.

Travel to Southern France for a Dazzling Taste of Ancient Rome

A new museum in Nimes pays tribute to the grandeur of the Empire

Hitler's Teeth Confirm He Died in 1945

The first examination of Hitler's teeth permitted in 70 years shows the complicated dental work matches the Fuhrer's medical records

A denarius of Commodus

Greenland's Ice Provides a Year-By-Year Account of the Roman Empire's Economy

A new study finds that lead levels from Roman silver production rise and fall in relation to the Empire's political and economic changes

Skeletal remains showing evidence of leprosy from the Odense St. Jørgen cemetery in Denmark, which was established in 1270 and existed until 1560.

Did Leprosy Originate in Europe?

A new study suggests the disease was far more diverse in Europe than previously believed

The EPA Declared That Burning Wood Is Carbon Neutral. It's Actually a Lot More Complicated

Here are five things to know about the controversial change

New Statue Immortalizes Mary Thomas, Who Led a Revolt Against Danish Colonial Rule

It is the city’s first public monument to a black woman

An original drawing of 'The Palace of the Sun' by Charles Le Brun, designed to be painted on the ceiling of the Grand salon of Vaux-le-Vicomte.

Never Realized 17th-Century Fresco Will Be Digitally Recreated at French Château

The masterpiece was originally planned by the great French painter Charles Le Brun

Glencoe, Scotland

Archaeologists Trace ‘Lost Settlements’ of 1692 Glencoe Massacre

A team of researchers is in search of clues into the slaughter of members of the MacDonald clan

Casanova Is Getting a Museum

The womanizer and Enlightenment polymath will be memorialized with an interactive museum in Venice opening April 2

Strong, medium and undeformed skulls, from left to right in this image, were first found in Germany around the 1960s. Now researchers think they know where the modified skulls came from.

Pointy-Headed Medieval Skulls in Germany May Have Been Bulgarian 'Treaty Brides'

Researchers have wondered for years about the strangely shaped skulls found in Western Europe

How Conflict in the Balkans Is Screwing Up Europe's Clocks

Kosovo and Serbia's clash over energy dropped the oscillation of the Euro grid, making clocks run as much as six minutes behind

Battle of Clontarf, Hugh Frazer, 1826

Social Network Analysis Weighs in on Debate Surrounding One of Ireland's Most Famous Battles

Researchers test it out on a medieval epic to investigate whether the Battle of Clontarf was fought against the Vikings or was part of an Irish civil war

The executioner Franz Schmidt executing Hans Fröschel on May 18, 1591. This drawing in the margins of a court record is the only surviving fully reliable portrait of Franz Schmidt.

The Executioners Who Inherited Their Jobs

For centuries, carrying out executions in France was a family affair

Are Rats Innocent of Spreading the Black Plague?

Human pests like fleas and lice may be responsible for spreading the pandemic that devastated Medieval Europe

Page 42 of 62