World History
6 Strange Things Rich People Did for Status
61
Article
Wealthy people have always found unusual ways to signal their power, taste, and control — often by acquiring items that are rare, impractical, or arduous to obtain. Long before designer handbags and luxury sports cars became status symbols, social elites flaunted their fortunes in ways that may seem very bizarre today but that reflected the values of their time. Here are six of the strangest examples. Credit: © DEA / BIBLIOTECA AMBROSIANA— De Agostini/Getty Images They Put Pineapples on Display Pineapple is a relatively inexpensive grocery store staple today, but between the 16th and 18th ...Read More
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World HistoryArticle33Why Do We Throw Coins Into Wells?
Most of us, whether as kids or adults or both, have probably tossed a coin into a fountain or a well at some point. And there’s a good chance we’ve…
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World HistoryFact30The first known cookbook includes recipes for flamingo.
Imagine hosting a dinner party where the menu featured flamingo in pepper sauce, wine infused with rose petals, and honey-soaked dates for dessert. To wealthy Romans, that wasn’t fantasy —…
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World HistoryArticle616 Strange Things Rich People Did for Status
Wealthy people have always found unusual ways to signal their power, taste, and control — often by acquiring items that are rare, impractical, or arduous to obtain. Long before designer…
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World HistoryArticle54What Did Ancient People Dream About?
For the ancient Greeks, Romans, and folks in other cultures, dreams were far more than idle nighttime fancies. They were powerful, often sacred experiences that shaped lives, politics, religious practices,…
