askhistorians

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Is there any consensus amongst historians or archeologists as to what was the original purpose of the massive and numerous megalithic sites that are found across central Laos and are known colloquially as the “Plain of Jars”?	82
How does the Samaritan Torah differ in content and theology from the mainstream Torah, and how did the Samaritan ethnoreligious minority survive to the present day?	81
The leaders of the Jehovah’s Witnesses prophesied various calamitous events in the years 1914, 1918, 1925 and 1975. What was the response among the group’s membership when such prophecies failed to be realized; and what was the response of the non-JW general public?	80
The Chinchorro Culture of ancient Chile began purposefully mummifying their dead thousands of years before the Ancient Egyptians did, and did so in a highly idiosyncratic manner. What led to the development of such practices, and what ended up happening to the Chinchorro people?	79
I’ve read that some Orthodox Jewish women wear a sheitel, or a wig in order to conform to a modesty requirement that married Jewish women must have their hair covered. What is the origin of this practice?	79
Why did Persia post-Islamic Conquest have such a rich history of figurative art, despite the fact that art depicting the human form is prohibited in Islam?	79
Madagascar was ruled by several sovereign queens up to the colonization of the country by France. What was the social and political standing of both elite and commoner Malagasy women in the period before colonization?	78
How were massive historical fountains, such as the ones at Versailles or the Trevi Fountain in Rome - engineered, built and operated in an era before the invention of the electric pump?	68
Is there currently any consensus among historians as to whether or not the Cathars and the Cathar Church actually existed?	65
How did Atlanta replace cities such as Detroit, Memphis, New York and Los Angeles to become the epicenter of black music culture in the United States, and why did this shift occur?	65

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