Did anyone notice the aurochs going extinct, and write about it or react to it?

This is a really, really stupid question and I really should know the answer already: were the early calotypes/Talbotypes of the 1840s (like this calotype of Harry D.S. Goodsir taken in 1842) so indistinct/low-contrast when they were taken, or has the specific instance at the link deteriorated?

How have the toilet/bathroom facilities at the White House changed over time? It has 35 bathrooms now, but how did it get to that state?

I asked this a few years ago and got no response, so I wonder if anyone might be able to give a little info now.

I heard this week that the salt trade was disrupted at about 500AD from sea level rise eliminating salt flats which greatly reduced the amount of available salt in the internal European market. The implication the speaker was making was that the lack of salt in European diets led to the dark ages through a lack of brain development, which had its own problems. How true is the first part, about sea level rise and the price/availability of salt in Europe around 500AD?

What are the oldest records of various congratulatory gestures? Ex. Handshake, fist bump, high five, etc.

Dante Alighieri is credited with saying, “heaven wheels above you/ displaying to you her eternal glories/ and still your eyes are on the ground”

I’ve read through the Divine Comedy multiple times, and can not find anything similar to this quote. Online, I found that this quote is attributed to Dante, yet I cannot verify it’s from Dante, or even find an origin. Can anyone help me find it?

It is sometimes alleged that during a naval battle in 1855, a Uruguayan warship ran out of cannonballs and started firing cheese at the Brazilians instead. Is there any substance to this?

If you were travelling on a major road between the Roman and Parthian or Sassanid empires, would you hit a checkpoint at the border? Were there rules about tariffs or banned goods?

This is a weirdly specific question, Why doesn’t the Israeli railways extend all the way to Eilat, the only port in the Red Sea and access to the Indian Ocean?

Especially during the time when Egypt closed off the canal to Israeli shipping. Seems like a strategic no-brainer

So maybe this is a bigger question than it seems, but when did most people start having access to different types of bread?

How did African and Middle Eastern pastoral nomads defend their communities? Did they have an organized military, or were warriors trained as part of tradition?

What was an English mark?

I was reading a local history book and it quotes a record of Henry VIII's Chaplain, John Leland, saying that...

"Davenport of Bromehaule 2 miles west of Stopporde by west dwellith at Bromehaule. He hath a 2. markes landes" (Direct quote, Bramall Hall: the story of an Elizabethan Manor House, by E. Barbara Dean).

...what exactly was "2. markes of landes"? Was it a certain amount/acreage of land or the value of the property?

Thanks for reading

How important is it for history books to be written by trained historians?

Does anybody have a map of the world's trade routes for any period between 1444 to 1821? All the maps I can find are either outside the time period, or only show naval trade routes. It doesn't have to be very detailed, just globally spanning and have the major trade routes. I'm trying to mod the trade system in a video game (EU4), and I'd like to have a map I can reference.

How on earth did hatches work on 18th century ships?

From what I've found during storms the hatches would be battened down, so exit from below was impossible, but presumably this was not the case all the time and presumably there was some means of egress even in a storm. What were the mechanisms like and would people really be stuck below sometimes?

I wanted to ask this in the main sub but didn't know if it would get removed or not.

Is there any thing you have studied historically about societies of the past you think are actual better ways to run a society than today? Like maybe the trade system of an ancient culture or the familial.. kinda more of an opinion question I guess... maybe something you particularly enjoyed about a period of time you think you wish they'd bring back and see if it works better...?

and I guess I'll ask a second question...

Whats the best historical book that you think people should all read and get useful life advice similar to "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin" , but don't limit it to autobiographies, could be a book about a war, ancient cultures etc?

Did ancient armies have their own blacksmiths or did they outsource from local smiths?

Was israel a jewish country before Britain (or who ever ) announced that , if not what exactly happened there ??

Why is "Egyptology" a term that gets used? Why aren't the studies of other countries given similar titles?

How did Thailand protect itself from being ruled by the European countries?

A question about colonization in classical antiquity, when the Greeks colonised Siciliy and Magna Grecia for example how many citizens would be sent? I assume the process would have been completed over a few years? Did they ever assimilate any locals into this new city state? Would they have simply enslaved them? Last of all would they have been independent from their 'mother-city state'? For lack of a better term. Apologies as this turned out to be more than one question.

Has there been any country/area that was most known for their blacksmithing?

If so, who was it?

I assume since book recommendation requests are allowed as posts, they are good here.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good biography of Catherine of Aragon, one that is both reliable and accessible for lay readers? I found the discussion of her on this post very interesting and would be interested in learning more about her. I will pick up the Alison Weir book on Henry VIII's wives used as a source on that response but imagine there should be a book just on Catherine herself.

Any good source on the Rashidun ? preferably with achievements and downsides.

Knowing that there were approximately 40 million deaths during WWI, how was it possibly that 60+ million people died in WWII in what is essentially the same geographical location? I suppose a population could be built back up in the short period of time between the two but I was just curious. Thanks!

Can anyone recommend a book/articles on Women during Reconstruction in America?

I'm interested in writing a story that explores medieval economics and proto-capitalism. But first I need to familiarize myself with it in a more thorough manner.

I'm going to get my hands on Gold & Spices: The Rise of Commerce in the Middle Ages, by Jean Favier, but are there other good resources one would recommend? Medieval Economic Thought by Diana Woods seems interesting, but reviews appear to indicate that it focuses on the philosophy which drove economic interactions. I'm primarily interested in how the realities of technology and infrastructure impacted economics.

Does anyone know where I could read the trout memo (supposedly by Ian Fleming)?

I can't seem to find a copy anywhere.

Anyone have good book recommendations on China and Russia for the early 20th century and onward?

20-sided dice for Ancient Greek Fortunetelling. Like this faience polyhedron in the Met Museum collection.

How did this work? What did the practitioners call it? Are any of the oracle texts still extant?

Best books on China and India 1800-Present?

Is there a particular reason why Ireland was partitioned as Northern and Southern Ireland instead of North and South Ireland?

What are the origins of these two cartoons on Mao's Hundred Flowers Campaign?

The link for the first cartoon: https://www.sutori.com/item/untitled-c896-8ec1

The link for the second cartoon: https://history.libraries.wsu.edu/history105-unangst-fall2017/2017/09/14/socialist-leaders-and-policy-impacts/

I've seen them online quite a few times but they are never referenced, so I have no idea who created these cartoons or when these primary sources were published. I would greatly appreciate any help!

I think this question has been asked and answered already so I'll just post it here. Hopefully someone will link it or confirm whether it's been asked or not (or please give me quick version of it if you don't mind): How much did the Roman/Byzantine Empire contribute to the spreading of Christianity? Could a comparison be made between the Empire's and other "barbarian"'s kingdoms's?

Thanks in advance and have a good day!

What SSRs in the Soviet Union were degraded to ASSRs?

How much did coal land and leases go for in 1970s Kentucky? Were prime holdings mostly consolidated in the hands of few owners or was there an active market for speculators?

Besides the Ludendorff Bridge, what was the one other bridge spanning the Rhine that remained intact around the time of the Battle of Remagen?