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Painting of a Renaissance banquet, by Władysław Bakałowicz. Source. Public Domain

The Most Decadent Banquets in History (Video)

Indulging in extravagant feasts throughout history, these banquets were grand spectacles of excess and luxury. In 1873, a German businessman orchestrated a lavish gathering in New York, featuring a...
Inveraray Castle’s State Dining Room (Ian Dick / Flickr)

The Stunning Interior of Inveraray Castle’s State Dining Room (Video)

Inveraray Castle's State Dining Room is a masterpiece of late 18th-century art and design. The 5th Duke of Argyle, aiming to impress his guests with the latest Georgian fashions, oversaw a remarkable...
A Sultan of the Ottoman Empire having a feast. Source: AI generated.

How a Sultan of the Ottoman Empire Dined (Video)

Ottoman sultans , including the illustrious Suleiman the Magnificent, held a profound appreciation for culinary extravagance. The kitchens of the Topkapi Palace , during the 16th century, teemed with...
Tudor banquet. Source: Yuri Arcurs/peopleimages.com / Adobe Stock.

What Did the Tudors Eat at a Royal Banquet? (Video)

The Tudor royal banquets were a lavish display of indulgence. Henry VII's love for hearty meals, including roasted meats and fatty fish, contributed to his ample figure. Venison, a delicacy reserved...
2,000-year-old banquet hall recently excavated in Jerusalem. Source: Yaniv Berman / Israel Antiquities Authority

Archaeologists Unveil 2,000-Year-Old Underground Banquet Hall in Jerusalem

The remains of a spectacular banquet hall from the Second Temple period in Jerusalem were unveiled by archaeologists as they announced that the site will soon be opened to the public for the first...
The ruins of the Forty Columns Fortress in the Paphos Archaeological Park, Cyprus, not far from where the carved bedrock banquet area and ancient was recently unearthed on Fabrica Hill.

Ancient Feast Seating Carved in Bedrock Found At Paphos, Cyprus

A team of French and Polish archaeologists exploring ancient ruins in Paphos, Cyprus have discovered a ceremonial seating area carved into the bedrock next to the foundation of a now-destroyed...
The decadence of Rome, as depicted in Thomas Couture's famous painting, is still celebrated today in film and literature. And no event was reported as more scandalous than the Banquet of Chestnuts in 1501, held the night before Halloween.

The Banquet of Chestnuts: A Perverse Pastime at the House of Borgia?

On October 30, 1501, the most decadence of festivals occurred in the papal palace of Cardinal Cesare Borgia. A party that his own father, Pope Alexander VI, not only attended but participated in. The...
Shellfish Extravaganza at Iron Age Feast Unearthed in Ancient Orkney

What Prompted the Shellfish Extravaganza at an Iron Age Feast Site, Orkney?

Archaeologists in the far north of Scotland have unearthed thousands of seashells from the remains of an Iron Age feast dating back to around the 5 th century AD, including 18,630 sea snail shells...
Representative image for Queen Mother of the West. Source: wichansumalee / Adobe Stock

Queen Mother of the West and Her Peaches of Immortality

Xiwangmu (西王母), whose name means ‘Queen Mother of the West’ is a goddess in the Taoist pantheon, and worshipped in Chinese folk religion. Xiwangmu is considered to be one of the most prominent female...
Painted burial chamber (from 2nd century B.C.) excavated in 2018

A Banquet Frozen in Time: Rare Painted Tomb Discovered in Italy

At the foot of the hill on which sits the ancient city of Cumae, in the region of Naples, Priscilla Munzi, CNRS researcher at the Jean Bérard Centre (CNRS-EFR), and Jean-Pierre Brun, professor at the...
1500-year-old construction at Limon archaeological site, Peru

Important Moche Ceremonial Rooms Discovered in Peru

A Peruvian archaeological mission has discovered a pre-Hispanic Mochica ceremonial banquet hall and another room possibly used for political announcements. The discovery took place at the ruins of...
Toasting the revels: The court of Henry VIII, as depicted by the Italian artist Fortunino Matania.

Lavish banquet hall where Henry VIII entertained visiting royalty is discovered beneath playground

Archaeologists are excavating the ruins of a 480-year-old luxuriously decorated banquet house of King Henry VIII of England that was built next to a jousting field. Workers discovered the site of the...