stackyFACTSWhen droughts hit, the Mayans resorted to targeting large reptiles. Because iguanas were associated with water and the underworld, priests believed they made the perfect snack for Chaac, the rain god. They would ritually offer up these unfortunate lizards, essentially trying to bribe the clouds to open with a plate of fresh scales.
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The rain god Chaac lived at the bottom of dark cenotes, and he allegedly loved expensive rocks. Mayans routinely chucked priceless, carved jade artifacts…
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When you need a ritual buzz but lack modern distillation, you get creative with trees. The Mayans brewed balché, a mildly intoxicating drink made by soaking…
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Because arriving to the underworld without an aggressive primate would be embarrassing, several pharaohs were buried alongside heavily mummified baboons.…
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In 14th‑century Paris, the city watchmen carried hollow, perforated clubs filled with burning herbs to signal hour shifts. The sweet-smelling smoke doubled as…
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Because the high Andes mountains are painfully landlocked, seashells were considered impossibly rare, magical artifacts. When the rains failed, Inca priests…
Discover moreBreakfast in prison wasn’t always eggs and toast—it was sometimes punishment disguised as reform. In 19th‑century Britain, authorities believed altering diets…
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