Devon Field

Dec 5, 2024 | atlasobscura.com | Devon Field |Elizabeth Minkel |Matthew Wynn Sivils |Andrew Coletti

Finding the perfect gift is a labor of love. In these stories, gift givers go above and beyond. From Asian elephants probably better left at home, to a pygmy hippopotamus whose relatives live on today around the United States. We’ve got long-forgotten sheep shearing cakes, oddly specific fanfiction, and the earliest known board game printed in the United States. Not sure what to get a loved one this year? Find inspiration in these five stories of bizarre gift giving.

Aug 21, 2024 | atlasobscura.com | Devon Field

In early 1514, an eager audience gathered in the small central Italian town of Tarquinia, once a powerful Etruscan city. They stormed into the town’s local inn. Those unable to find room inside clambered onto the roof or perched atop neighboring buildings.

Aug 21, 2024 | flipboard.com | Devon Field

That Time Portugal’s King Gifted an Elephant to the PopeHanno the elephant suffered much at the hands of power-hungry Europeans. In early 1514, an eager audience gathered in the small central Italian town …