In the Romanian village of Săpânța, a spectacularly colorful cemetery - known as the Merry Cemetery (or Cimitirul Vesel) - provides a unique way to mourn loved ones. The stones marking graves are heavily decorated, sharing a glimpse into the person’s life, with a bit of humor as well. Instead of a solemn feeling that…
On April 18, 1943, four boys living in Worcestershire, England were poaching in Hagley Wood, part of the Hagley estate belonging to Lord Cobham. Their names were Robert Hart, Thomas Willetts, Bob Farmer and Fred Payne. Nearing the Wychbury Hill, they came across a large wych elm tree. Thinking it was a good place to…
The Oise-Aisne American Cemetery and Memorial is an American military cemetery in northern France. Plots A through D contains the graves of 6,012 American soldiers who died while fighting in this vicinity during World War I. 597 were not identified, and a monument stands as dedication to the 241 Americans who were missing in action during battles in the same area, never to be recovered. With over…
Mount Everest - standing at 29,029 ft, is the world's highest mountain and a particularly desirable peak for mountaineeers. Over 290 people have died trying to climb it. Most deaths have been attributed to avalanches, injury from fall, ice collapse, exposure, or health problems related to conditions on the mountain. Not all bodies have been…
Located north of Salem, Oregon is an old pioneer cemetery named Odell Cemetery. Attached to the grounds is a run-down chapel - known as the Ebenezer Chapel. It is supposed to be one of the most haunted places in Oregon. The original chapel is said to have been built in the 1860’s, and was rebuilt…
In 2001, a team of archaeologists found four skeletons at the Cladh Hallan archaeological site on the island of South Uist in the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. At first, it appeared to be a typical Bronze Age discovery, but the researchers soon discovered that the finding was far from normal. One male skeleton and one female…
The Toraja are an indigenous group living in a mountainous region of South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The word 'Toraja' comes from the Buginese language, meaning 'people of the uplands'. Most of the population is Christian, and others are Muslim or have local animist beliefs known as aluk ('the way'). The Indonesian government has recognised this animistic…
The Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo are located in Palermo, Sicily, in southern Italy. They were built in the 16th century when Palermo's Capuchin monastery outgrew its original cemetery. It took two years to finish the new resting place. When it was completed, the bodies in the original cemetery were moved to the catacombs. It was…
History and Other Things 