Rites and Rituals - Atlas Obscura
Places near me Random place

391 Items Tagged

Rites and Rituals

Share
One of the successful couples, sitting in the ceremonial chair (with dog).
Gastro Obscura

Dunmow Flitch Trials

Only the happiest married couples can win this huge piece of bacon.
An Asturian cider pour in action.
Gastro Obscura

Asturian Cider Pouring

A Spanish ritual meant to inject effervescence into a flat drink.
A spread of traditional foods for Þorrablót, including sour rams' testicles.
Gastro Obscura

Sour Rams' Testicles

This Icelandic delicacy is served at the coldest time of the year.
Chillies hanging out to dry in Bhutan.
food

Decoding Bhutan's Love Affair With Chili Peppers

In the small mountain country, spicy peppers dominate breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Charukesi Ramadurai November 2, 2017
Erotic art at Candi Sukuh.
Ngargoyoso, Indonesia

Candi Sukuh

This Javanese-Hindu temple from the 15th century is unmissable for anyone with even a passing interest in erotic art.
Lazarim Carnival celebrations.
Lazarim, Portugal

Lazarim Carnival Celebrations

One of the few places in Portugal where the Celtic ritual of wearing large wooden masks is still practiced.
A section of the Tophet.
Carthage, Tunisia

Tophet at Carthage

An ancient burial ground believed to have been used for ritual sacrifice.
Maasai men collecting blood from the neck of a cow.
Gastro Obscura

Cow Blood

Drinking fresh blood is both sacred and ordinary for the Maasai people.
The spells are often more than whispers, but involve rituals as well.
rites and rituals

In Belarus, the Ancient Tradition of Healing Whispers Slowly Disappears

A centuries-old practice with little place in the modern world.
Anika Burgess September 28, 2017
This 1885 painting by Cecilia Beaux, <em>The Last Days of Childhood</em>, shows a little boy being cuddled by his mother in the lead-up to his breeching.
rites and rituals

For Centuries, People Celebrated a Little Boy’s First Pair of Trousers

Literally a party in your pants.
Natasha Frost September 18, 2017
A serving of chicha at the winter solstice ceremony Fiesta del Huan, celebrated at Colombia's El Museo Arqueológico de Sogamoso.
Gastro Obscura

Chicha de Jora

The Colombian government declared war on this once-ubiquitous drink.
Two Bactrian camels belonging to a nomadic family relax in the Gobi.
animals

The Transcendental Ritual of Mongolian Camel Coaxing May Soon Be Lost Forever

Khuus, khuus, khuus.
Natasha Frost August 31, 2017
Soused herring with onion
Gastro Obscura

Dutch Soused Herring

No one eats pickled herring like the Dutch.
An English funeral scene, 1733.
food

The Worst Freelance Gig in History Was Being the Village Sin Eater

Sin eaters risked their souls to soak up the misdeeds of the dead.
Natalie Zarrelli July 14, 2017
Milton, Delaware

Dressed John Milton Statue

A statue of the English poet for whom this Delaware town is named is ritually dressed in seasonally appropriate clothing.
The church facade from Chamula's town square.
Chamula, Mexico

Iglesia de San Juan

The masses at this church incorporate enough moonshine and animal sacrifice that they are no longer recognizably Catholic.
The Drigung Tibetan monastery, home to one of the last sky burial sites still in use.
ancient

What Remains of Asia's Traditional Sky Burial Sites

Five dramatic places dedicated to returning corpses to nature.
Kavya Ram Mohan March 31, 2017
animals

Found: A Turtle With 915 Coins in Its Belly

His name means "piggy bank."
Sarah Laskow March 6, 2017