Rites and Rituals - Atlas Obscura
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Rites and Rituals

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Gastro Obscura

Mannish Water

Jamaica's spicy goat soup is also an aphrodisiac.
The annual Blessing of the Fleets ceremony.
Washington, D.C.

The Blessing of the Fleets Ceremony

The fountains of the U.S. Navy Memorial are annually salted with water from the Seven Seas as part of a nautical ritual.
Two's a party, three's still a party.
Gastro Obscura

Bhang

To celebrate the Holi festival, many Indians raise a glass of cannabis-infused milk.
Inyo County, California

Teakettle Junction

Travelers leave tea kettles in a remote part of Death Valley as part of a mysterious, decades-old tradition.
The peyote cactus is cute as a button.
Gastro Obscura

Peyote

Mexican and American Indians have a long history with this powerful cactus.
A pile of crispy borsok.
Gastro Obscura

Borsok

Kyrgyzstan’s fried dough marks special occasions and "feeds" the dead.
Peach buns symbolize longevity.
Gastro Obscura

Longevity Peach

These buns artfully resemble peaches and represent immortality.
Sheikh Hamad-al Nil Tomb.
Omdurman, Sudan

Sheikh Hamad-al Nil Tomb

Every Friday, Sufi dervishes whirl around the tomb in a trance-like state as part of a sacred ritual called dhikr.
The knives are inscribed with musical notes and a prayer.
objects of intrigue

The Renaissance Knives That Will Have You Singing for Your Supper

Sweeney Todd would approve.
Jim Clarke November 16, 2017
Yasui Kompira-gu Shrine.
Kyoto, Japan

Yasui Kompira-gu Shrine

Crawl through the hole in the middle of this stone to break off a bad relationship or initiate a good one.
Maror in three forms: a mixture of grated horseradish, beets, and sugar; endive lettuce; and horseradish root.
Gastro Obscura

Maror

The bitter herb served on Passover can be anything from horseradish to lettuce.
Watch the road!
Gastro Obscura

Réttir

Iceland's annual tradition of rounding up 800,000 sheep.
Sumalak, also known as samanu, is one of the seven traditional dishes of Nowruz.
Gastro Obscura

Sumalak

A sweet and simple pudding traditionally made in a joyous, spring ritual.
Gastro Obscura

Kava

The South Pacific's shrub-based drink causes relaxation, euphoria, and a tingling sensation.
Ul boov's layers symbolize age and status.
Gastro Obscura

Ul Boov

Mongolia's "shoe sole cake" has the ritual significance of a Christmas tree or family shrine.
The frosting on Yule log cakes is combed to resemble bark.
Gastro Obscura

Yule Log Cake

These holiday cakes link Christmas to the Norse god of lightning.
Whole, organic iboga root bark.
Gastro Obscura

Iboga

The psychedelic root used in a sacred Bwiti ritual may also treat heroin withdrawal.
Antarctica

The Ceremonial South Pole

Naked scientists race around the pole in the frigid cold to try to join Antarctica's exclusive 300 Club.