askhistorians

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In Celtic mythology, Cú Chulainn is endowed with a unique weapon, the Gáe Bolg, which is described as a "foot thrown spear with multiple heads". Is the Gáe Bolg modeled after some actual weapon or is it a symbolic litterary device. If the latter, what was its symbolism.	1046
Have any apple trees started by Johhny Appleseed (aka John Chapman) survived to this day?	377
As Rome expanded, they had abundant contact with the Celts. Did any part of celtic folklore become assimilated into mainstream Roman culture? If so, what?	296
In 1857, Queen Victoria was asked to pick a permanent capital for Canada by John A. Macdonald, as proponents of a Capital in Upper Canada were deadlocked with those of a Lower Canadian option. She spurned both sides and selected Ottawa. How was this decision received?	287
What prompted Henry Ford to print & distribute 500 000 copies of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion?	105
The 2006 UNICEF report on Children accused of Witchcraft claims that the sacrifice of witches and albinos is not really an “African tradition”, but rather a pre-1995 “new” or "invented" tradition. What happened in the early 90's to give rise to modern African witch hunts?	103
Christianity in general, and Catholicism in particular has a strong cultural tradition of preserving and displaying dead body parts garnered from people judged to be of worth (Saints). When and under what circumstances did this practice develop? Is is rooted in pre-Christian traditions?	100
A lot has been made of the love of the ancient Roman people for asparagus, notably by Apicius. How much of a luxury would asparagus have been during the Republic? During Empire?	94
How much fact is there behind the notion that mixed beef and porc tallow in the cartridges of the Pattern 53 Enfield rifles paper sheathed bullet was behind the 1857 Sepoy rebellion?	75
What was Sami cosmogeny like?	69

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