A Brief History of Holidays

By Tim Lambert Early Holidays In the Middle Ages, wealthy people went on pilgrimages for religious reasons. However, pilgrimages were not holidays – or they were not meant to be! In the 14th century, Chaucer wrote the Canterbury Tales about a group of pilgrims on their way to Canterbury. In England, people went on pilgrimages… Continue reading A Brief History of Holidays

A Brief History of Homes

By Tim Lambert Celtic Homes The Celts lived in roundhouses. They were built around a central pole with horizontal poles radiating outwards from it. They rested on vertical poles. Walls were of wattle and daub and roofs were thatched. Around the walls inside the huts were benches, which also doubled up as beds. The Celts… Continue reading A Brief History of Homes

A Brief History of Mathematics

By Tim Lambert Mathematics in the Ancient World Prehistoric people must have used simple arithmetic. However, when people became civilized mathematics became far more important. Proper record-keeping was essential. In Iraq, a people called the Sumerians counted in sets of 60. We still divide hours into 60 minutes and minutes into 60 seconds. We also… Continue reading A Brief History of Mathematics

A Brief History of Musical Instruments

By Tim Lambert Musical Instruments in the Ancient World The Egyptians played many instruments. They played castanets, drums, and bells. They also played stringed instruments like the harp, the lyre (a kind of vertical harp), and the lute. They also played wind instruments like flutes and trumpets. The Egyptians also played a rattle called a… Continue reading A Brief History of Musical Instruments