A Brief History of Towns

By Tim Lambert Celtic and Roman Towns The Celts who lived in Britain before the Roman invasion of 43 AD could be said to have created the first towns. Celts in southern England lived in hill forts, which were quite large settlements. (Some probably had thousands of inhabitants). They were places of trade, where people… Continue reading A Brief History of Towns

A Brief History of Toys

By Tim Lambert Early Toys Before the 20th century, children had few toys and those they did have were precious. Furthermore, children did not have much time to play. Only a minority went to school but most children were expected to help their parents by doing simple jobs around the house or in the fields.… Continue reading A Brief History of Toys

A Brief History of Transport

By Tim Lambert TRANSPORT IN THE ANCIENT WORLD The first form of transport was, of course, the human foot! However, people eventually learned to use animals for transport. Donkeys and horses were probably domesticated between 4,000 and 3,000 BC (obviously the exact date is not known). Camels were domesticated slightly later between 3,000 and 2,000… Continue reading A Brief History of Transport

A Brief History of Washing

By Tim Lambert Washing in the Ancient World The Egyptians are known for their cleanliness (they bathed frequently) and they used many cosmetics. Meanwhile in Babylon before 2,000 BC a form of soap was made. The Greeks knew that diet, exercise and keeping clean were important for health. The Greeks even invented a form of… Continue reading A Brief History of Washing

A Brief History of Weapons

By Tim Lambert Prehistoric Weapons Human beings have probably always killed each other. Early people used clubs, axes, and spears. They also used bows and arrows. (Cave paintings from Spain dating from 10,000 to 5,000 BC show men fighting with bows). A wooden club is a surprisingly effective weapon. As early as 6,000 BC African… Continue reading A Brief History of Weapons

A Brief History of Women’s Clothes

By Tim Lambert Women’s Clothes in the Ancient World Not surprisingly given the hot climate Egyptians wore only light clothing. Women wore dresses with shoulder straps. Clothes were made of linen or cotton. Later in Egyptian history clothes became more elaborate and colorful. Egyptians wore jewelry. Those who could afford it wore jewelry of gold,… Continue reading A Brief History of Women’s Clothes

A Brief History of Women’s Education

By Tim Lambert Women’s Education in the Ancient World There have always been some educated women. In the past, generally, upper-class women were well-educated. Middle-class women often had some education. But poor girls like poor boys had little or no access to education. Sumer was the world’s oldest civilization. It arose in what is now… Continue reading A Brief History of Women’s Education