#DidYouKnown the Great Wall of China is in fact a series of 17 different walls and fortifications built across a broad time period, all of which have been interconnected to form what we think of as a single Great Wall. The wall is over 13,000 miles (21,000 kilometers) in length, which is the distance from London to New York and back again... Twice. It really speaks to the vastness of the nation of China.
#FunFact Ancient Egyptian mummies were known to smell beautiful. The mix of embalming fluids led to a sweet, woody, citrusy scent known to be pretty pleasant! Scientists have recreated the scent of the embalming fluid used to preserve a noblewoman more than 3,500 years ago — and they say it's quite lovely, indeed.
#HistoryFactOfTheDay Between 300 B.C. and 300 A.D., the ancient Japanese buried people in jars. The pottery jars would vary in size, and the quality of trinkets placed in or around the jars would denote upper- from lower-class citizens.
#FunFact couples in medieval Germany solved their disputes by entering the ring for a trial by single combat. When man and wife were fighting the husband must stand in a hole with a hand behind his back, while his wife ran around with a sack filled with rocks.
#DidYouKnow if you suffered from epilepsy in Ancient Rome, you may have been treated with a dose of Gladiator blood. It was collected after gladiatorial battles and would be drunk by epilepsy sufferers. A gladiator's kidney was also a highly prized post-battle commodity.
The first recorded use of toilet paper is in China in the 6th century AD. Although this was reserved for emperors and high-ranking officials, this is significantly earlier than in other parts of the world with Europe not seeing toilet paper until the 16th century.
The Honjo Masamune is perhaps the greatest Japanese sword ever made. Forged in the 13th century it became the ceremonial sword of the ruling Tokugawa shoguns for 250 years. After their fall from power the great sword continued to be passed down the generations, but in the aftermath of the WW2 it suddenly disappeared. ⚔️
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