WEIRD ANTHROPOLOGY

Native Actors Outside the Frame 

Harry Smith, under the name of Jay Silverheels, was a Mohawk actor who famously portrayed Tonto on The Lone Ranger – By Liza Black – Liza Black is Assistant Professor of History & Native American and Indigenous Studies at Indiana University and author of Picturing Indians: …

The companies that help people vanish

Each year, some choose to ‘disappear’ and abandon their lives, jobs, homes and families. In Japan, there are companies that can help those looking to escape into thin air. – This piece is based on this BBC Reel video produced by Andreas Hartman, …

 

In the Land of Kush

A dazzling civilization flourished in Sudan nearly 5,000 years ago. Why was it forgotten? Meroe, 150 miles north of Khartoum, served as a necropolis for the kings and queens of Kush for close to 600 years. (Matt Stirn) – Text by Isma’il Kushkush; …

Blue-eyed humans have a single, common ancestor

New research shows that people with blue eyes have a single, common ancestor. Scientists have tracked down a genetic mutation which took place 6,000-10,000 years ago and is the cause of the eye color of all blue-eyed humans alive on the planet today.  …

Norse code: project aims to decipher sound of old languages

Composer Edmund Hunt leads effort to examine sonic footprints of Vikings and Celts. TV shows such as Vikings captivate modern audiences, but history does not record exactly what Vikings sounded like. Photograph: Allstar/MGM/Sportsphoto Ltd./Allstar – By Rory Carroll Ireland correspondent @rorycarroll72  Last modified …