12779. History Facts

The Greek emperor Draco died when he was smothered by the hats and cloaks that admirers threw over him at a party.

12780. History Facts

Pope Clement VII tried eating a death cap toadstool in 1534; it killed him.

12781. History Facts

In 2,350 BC the Mesopotamian king Urukagina demanded that thieves be stoned to death with stones carved with their crime.

12782. History Facts

It took over two months to make an Egyptian mummy. After removing the internal organs and brain, the body was covered with a kind of salt for two months to dry out, then treated with resin, packed with sand and sawdust and wrapped in bandages.

12783. History Facts

Mongol leader Tamerlane the Great (1336–1405) executed anyone who told him a joke he had already heard.

12784. History Facts

Roman prisoners condemned to fight to death with each other or wild animals often tried to kill themselves before the fight. One man pushed a wooden spike down his throat – it was used for holding the sponge people cleaned themselves with in the lavatory.

12785. History Facts

Anglo-Saxon peasants sometimes wove clothes made out of dried stinging nettles.

12786. History Facts

Anyone who rebelled against the Mesopotamian king Ashurnasirpal could expect to be skinned or buried alive. We know this because he buried some rebels inside a column and carved the story of their crime on the outside.

12787. History Facts

In Ancient Rome, vestal virgins were young girls who served in a temple and could not be touched. If they committed a crime their punishment was to be buried alive as it could be done without anyone touching them.

12788. History Facts

The Romans had criminals torn apart by wild animals while the public watched. Dogs or lions were usually used, but sometimes more exotic animals were brought in.

12789. History Facts

The Roman king Tarquin crucified anyone who committed suicide – even though they were already dead – to show other people what would happen to their bodies if they did the same.

12790. History Facts

In the time of King Charles II of England, who reigned from 1649 to 1685, dead people had to buried in a shroud made of wool, to boost business for the wool trade.

12791. History Facts

In Anglo-Saxon England, people who died in a famine were eaten by their neighbours!

12792. History Facts

In 1740, a cow found guilty of witchcraft was hanged.

12793. History Facts

A medieval trial of guilt required a suspected criminal to plunge their hand into a pan of hot water and take out a stone, or carry a red-hot iron bar. The injured arm was bandaged and inspected after three days. If it was healed the person was considered innocent. If not, they were guilty and were punished.

12794. History Facts

The scarab beetle was treated as holy by the Ancient Egyptians. Scarab beetles roll themselves in a ball of faeces and lay their eggs in it.

12795. History Facts

In 167 BCE, a Roman commander had a group of soldiers trampled to death by elephants for deserting (running away from battle).

12796. History Facts

The Mongolian ruler Ghengis Khan imposed the death penalty for urinating in water because water was so precious in the Mongolian desert.

12797. History Facts

Lord Nelson (1758–1805) admiral of the English fleet, slept in a coffin in his cabin.The coffin was made from the mast of an enemy French ship.

12798. History Facts

The Spanish Inquisition was set up to find people who committed crimes against the church and its teachings. They often questioned and tortured people until they confessed. In the case of a child under 10, though, they could go straight to the torture and not bother with the questions.

Scientific Instruments & Appliances
Scientific Instruments & Appliances
hydrophone
is an instrument for measuring sound under water.      .. More >>