National Geographic History

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FROM THE EDITOR

National Geographic History

A Lavish Burial at the Birth of Chinese History • A cache of treasures, including a rare lacquered head, has been found in an ornate tomb built at the dawn of a united China. Who was the burial for?

THE CHU DYNASTY’S FINAL MOVES

’Twas the Poem Behind an American Christmas • “A Visit From St. Nicholas” contains the recipe for a classic American Christmas. Though the festive words spawned a new holiday culture, they also sparked a centuries-long controversy.

A QUESTION OF AUTHORSHIP

A NEW SANTA FOR AMERICA

STOCKING UP ON CANDY

Ancient Egypt’s Dance to the Music of Time • Ancient Egyptian tomb art reflects the importance and evolution of dance in that culture, a history that still influences dance today.

The Rhythm of Castanets and Tambourines

Honoring Gods and the Pharaoh

How The Nutcracker Conquered the Christmas Season • The timeless ballet is a holiday stalwart and a major source of revenue for ballet companies. But it wasn’t always so successful.

Seasonal but Sinister

Sugary Sounds

NERO MONSTER OR MISUNDERSTOOD? • Ancient authors depicted the Roman emperor Nero as a psychopath, but, at times, his people loved him. Is his bad reputation fair, or is it the result of a bitter conflict between Nero and the aristocracy who dominated the Senate?

SHORT AND BITTER

LIFE OF THE PARTY

LEARNING HOW TO DIE

DEATH OF THE ARTIST

OCTAVIA’S GRUESOME MURDER • One of the episodes that most damaged Nero’s reputation was the murder of his first wife, Claudia Octavia.

THE TOMB OF ST. PETER MYSTERY BENEATH THE VATICAN • Tradition holds that the martyred remains of St. Peter were honored—and obscured—by the basilicas raised over them on Vatican Hill. In the 1940s, an early Christian tomb was found. Was this truly the first pope’s final resting place?

IN SEARCH OF A FIRST-CENTURY TOMB

A MYSTIC VERSUS THE VATICAN

ST. PETER: FROM NECROPOLIS TO BASILICA

A WELCOMING SPACE

THE AGE OF CASTLES FORTRESSES OF FEUDAL EUROPE • Appearing as early as the ninth century in the form of simple wooden towers, medieval castles developed into imposing fortifications designed to withstand long sieges and symbolize the status and power of their lords.

THE AGE OF CASTLES

INTERNATIONAL STYLE

MOTTE AND BAILEY

A ROYAL HIDING PLACE

A NEW STAR RISING

TOWER TOPPLING

DEFENSE, COMFORT, AND POWER

BEYOND THE BLACK LEGEND OF THE BORGIAS • Enemies of Pope Alexander VI portrayed the pontiff and his children as depraved, but their behavior was fairly typical of other great families of the time.

DYNASTIC POWER

KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY

Who Murdered the Duke of Gandía?

Luxury Apartments

GATEWAY TO AMERICA • Between 1892 and 1954, most immigrants arriving in the United States passed through New York’s Ellis Island control center. For those fleeing poverty and war, the “island of tears” was also an island of hope—and the beginning of a new life.

BUDDHIST ENCLAVE

Dandan-Oilik, the Lost Oasis Town on the Silk Road • The ruins of a once thriving complex full of painted Buddhist temples were discovered in a Chinese desert in 1896. Why did it disappear?

WEALTH AND FAITH

ART IN THE DESERT