40 Historical Tidbits That’ll Blow Your Mind

Prepare to have your mind blown by these 40 historical tidbits, each one shedding light on the lesser-known but utterly fascinating events and figures from history.

“U.S. Marine Provides Water To A Stray Kitten Found Hiding Under A Knocked Out Japanese Type 95 Ha-Gō Light Tank On The Tarawa Atoll On November 24, 1943”

“A Boy Sits Reading In A Bombed Bookstore, London, 1940”

“One Of The Worst Mining Accidents In History, The Fraterville Mine Disaster In Tennessee, Killed Over 200 Miners In 1902”

“But, according to the website Letters of Note, “for the 26 who survived the initial blast, a side passage of the mine proved to be a safe haven, but not for long—when rescuers eventually reached them, all had suffocated.

Found next to a number of the those 26 bodies were letters to loved ones, one of which can be seen below. It was written by Jacob Vowell to Sarah Ellen, his beloved wife and mother to their 6 children, one of whom, 14-year-old Elbert, was by his side in the mine. (‘Little Eddie’ was a son they had lost previously.)

All but three of Fraterville’s adult men were killed that day; over a hundred women were instantly widowed; close to a thousand children lost their fathers. The Fraterville Mine disaster remains the worst of its kind in Tennessee’s history.”

“Ellen, darling, goodbye for us both. Elbert said the Lord has saved him. We are all praying for air to support us, but it is getting so bad without any air. Ellen I want you to live right and come to heaven. Raise the children the best you can. Oh how I wish to be with you, goodbye. Bury me and Elbert in the same grave by little Eddie. Godbye Ellen, goodbye Lily, goodbye Jemmie, goodbye Horace. We are together. Is 25 minutes after two. There is a few of us alive yet. Jake and Elbert Oh God for one more breath. Ellen remember me as long as you live Goodbye darling””

“Portrait Of Life’s First Hired And First Female Staff Photographer, Margaret Bourke-White. She Was On Assignment In Algeria, Standing In Front Of Flying Fortress Bomber In Which She Made Combat Mission Photographs Of The U.S. Attack On Tunis, 1943”

“This Exceptional Babylonian Clay Tablet World Map Stands As The First Documented World Map In History. The Script On The Map Is Inscribed In Akkadian Cuneiform, Dating Back To The 6th Century Bce”

“Before And After The Excavation And Restoration Of The Great Ziggurat Of Ur, Built Approximately 4000 Years Ago”

“Gavrinis Is A Small Island In The Gulf Of Morbihan In Brittany, France. It Contains The Gavrinis Tomb, A Neolithic Passage Tomb Built Around 4200–4000 Bc, Making It One Of The World’s Oldest Surviving Buildings”

“Stones inside the passage and chamber are covered in megalithic art. It is likened to other Neolithic passage tombs such as Barnenez in Brittany and Newgrange in Ireland”

“The Best Preserved And Most Intact Lorica Segmentata Roman Armour In Existence. This Armour Discovered In Corbridge Roman Town Near Hadrian’s Wall Is Of International Importance”

“The armour type consisted of metal strips fashioned into bands, fastened to internal leather and straps and external straps with buckles. This armour provided mobility as it moved with the solider on his torso, all of the parts would move in synchronous movement.

These types of armor was used from about 14 BC to late 3rd Century AD. The Lorica Segmentata was used throughout the Roman Empire, but the mail armor Lorica Hamata may have been more commonly seen and used.”

“Derveni Krater; A Masterpiece Of Hellenistic Art, Thessaloniki, 4th C. Bc”

“The Derveni Krater exhibited at the Archeological Museum of Thessaloniki is one of the most elaborate metal vessels from ancient Greece yet discovered. Found in 1962 in an undisturbed Macedonian tomb of the late 4th century B.C. at Derveni not far from Thessaloniki, the krater is a tour de force of highly sophisticated methods of bronze working.”

“Nice View Of The Temple Of Hatshepsut A Mortuary Temple Built During The Reign Of Pharaoh Hatshepsut Of The Eighteenth Dynasty Of Egypt (1550 Bce – 1290 Bce). A Masterpiece Of Ancient Architecture”

“The Soldiers Fed The Polar Bears With Condensed Milk Tins. Soviet Union, 1950”

“Re-Excavation Of Lamassu, Kursbad, Iraq; Assyrian Deity Depicted With Human, Avian, And Bovine Or Leonine Elements. The City Was A New Capital Built By King Sargon II In 721 Bc”

“The Goshen, Indiana Farm Boy Here Again Among His Chickens With A Toy Wheel Barrow That He Might Have Used To Deliver Corn To Feed Them. 1930s Or 1940s”

“Soldiers Wearing Gas Masks While Peeling Onions At Tobruk, 15 October 1941”

“Audi Workers Demonstrating The Body Strength Of The Audi 920 (1938)”

“Bronze Age Frescoes From Knossos (In Crete) , Thera (Santorini) And Mycenae (In Peloponnese); 17th – 13th Century Bc”

“The Koh Ker Pyramid, Located In Cambodia, Standing At Over 35 Meters Tall, It’s One Of The Largest Pyramid Structures In Southeast Asia”

“Built in the 10th century during the reign of King Jayavarman IV, it served as the state temple of the Khmer Empire for a brief period.

Today, it remains a remarkable archaeological site, drawing visitors from around the world to marvel at its grandeur and historical significance…”

“The Pyramid Of The Niches Is A Stunning Architectural Feat Located In The Ancient City Of El Tajín, Veracruz, Mexico”

“This six-tiered pyramid, built by the Totonac civilization around 800-1200 CE, is renowned for its unique design featuring 365 niches, believed to symbolize the days of the solar year.

Standing approximately 20 meters tall, the structure showcases intricate stone carvings and a harmonious blend of function and artistry, reflecting the advanced engineering and astronomical knowledge of its builders.

The Pyramid of the Niches remains a testament to the cultural and historical richness of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica…”

“Large Epitaphic Attic Geometric Amphora (Large Closed Vessel With Two Vertical Handles For Transporting Or Storing Liquid Or Solid Products), With A Scene Of Burial And Mourning”

“Cleopatra’s Pool”

“Ancient Pool in Pamuccale: An Essential Historical Treasure. Description: The Ancient Pool in Pamuccale, also known as the Cleopatra’s Pool, is a magical place that combines history, natural beauty and ancient legends. Immerse yourself in the hot springs of this historic treasure and be captivated by its timeless charm”

“Learning How To Swim In The 1920s”

“A Roman Mosaic Portion Showing A Medallion Of The Personification Of Spring. This Was Made In Carthage (Modern Day Tunisia) In The 4th Century Ad And Is On Display In The British Museum In London, England”

“This Shot Shows More Than 7,000 Bags Of Gold And Silver That Had Been Looted By The Germans During The War. It Was Stored Here, Inside The Merkers Salt Mine In Germany And Discovered On April 8, 1945. Included In This Discovery Was 8,198 Bars Of Gold Bullion And 2.76 Billion Reichsmarks”

“Treasure Hunters Still Searching for WW2 Gold”

“The Children Had To Cross The River Using Pulleys On Their Way To School In The Outskirts Of Modena, Italy!! (1959)”

“A Mother Teaching Her Daughter How To Use A Spinning Wheel, Ireland – 1904”

“Bronze Painted Wild-Goose And Fish Lamp The Lamp, Used During The Han Dynasty 2000 Years Ago”

“New York City 1940s”

“A Roman Denarius Of Julius Caesar, After Whom The Month Of July Is Named, As Imperator In Front Of An Eight Rayed Star”

“This was minted in Rome at the beginning of 44 BC shortly before his assassination”

“Marveling At The Breathtaking View Of The Pyramid Of The Sun At Teotihuacan”

“The World Trade Center Under Construction, March 1972”

“Sword From The Anglo-Saxon Sutton Hoo Ship-Burial, Dates To Approximately 620 Ad; Suffolk, England”

“This sword is one of the many artifacts discovered in the Sutton Hoo ship-burial, which is thought to have belonged to one of four East Anglian kings: Eorpwald, Raedwald and co-regents Ecric, and Sigebert.

The artifacts of this burial were chosen to reflect the high rank of the king, and to equip him for the Afterlife”

“Ancient Roman Arches At The Base Of The Palatine Hill In Rome, Next To The Forum”

“The Fairy Chimneys In Cappadocia, Turkey, Are A Surreal Natural Wonder. These Unique Rock Formations, Sculpted By Volcanic Activity And Erosion Over Thousands Of Years, Create An Otherworldly Landscape”

“The tall, thin spires, some of which reach up to 130 feet, are often topped with harder rock caps, resembling whimsical chimneys or mushrooms.

This geological marvel, combined with the region’s ancient cave dwellings and vibrant hot air balloon scene, makes Cappadocia a captivating destination for travelers seeking both natural beauty and historical intrigue…”

“Menhir De Kerhouezel – Brittany – France”

“Georges Guénin relates in his book “Legend Stones of Brittany” ( 1936 ) :

“According to a fisherman from Lanildut, Mr. Masson, the great menhir of Kereneur, over 6 m high, would turn on itself and go swimming at the sea. I could know neither the hours nor the days when the stone would perform such curious acts.”

This massive prehistoric menhir still stands today!”

“The Gate Of The Sun In 1971”

“The monument is a monolithic gateway at the site of Tiahuanaco by the Tiwanaku culture, an Andean civilization of Bolivia that thrived around Lake Titicaca in the Andes of western South America around 500-950 AD.”

“An Ostrich Carriage Being Stopped By The Police For Crossing The Speed Limit, Los Angeles, 1930s”

“Interior Of Helmbold’s Drug Store, On Broadway Near Prince St. It Is A Prime Example Of The Victorian Age. The Picture Is From 1886!”

“Haldi (Khaldi) Was The Supreme God Of The Urartian Pantheon, And There Was A Temple Dedicated To Him At Ancient Erebuni. Bas Relief Reconstruction, K Gianjian. (Erebuni Historical And Archaeological Culture Preserve, Yerevan.)”

“Antiochus I Theos Maintained His Legitimacy As A Persian King Via His Connection To Darius I”

“But expanded this by claiming direct descent, through his mother Laodice VII Thea (b. c. 122 BCE), from Seleucus I Nicator (r. 305-281 BCE), founder of the Seleucid Empire, and Ptolemy I Soter (r. 305/304-282 BCE) of the Ptolemaic Dynasty of Egypt, as well as others who had served as generals of Alexander the Great. He thereby established himself as a Greco-Persian monarch and assumed the title of ‘Antiochus, the just god, friend of Romans and Greeks’, which pleased Rome while, at the same time, arranging the marriage of his daughter, Laodice, to King Orodes II of Parthia (r. 57-37 BCE) and securing peace with the east.”

“Roma Settlement Along Ogden Avenue In Lyons, Illinois. Early 1900s”