In 1830s Persia, ill-considered favours by a British official put his successor in a tight spot

James Morison, who took over as Resident, was taken aback by the amount of money and valuable objects in the treasury.

Curstaidh Reid

· Jan 08, 2022 · 09:30 pm

In a 19th-century Burmese album, a story of revenge, a failed coup and a long-forgotten prince

Prince Moung Peng survived a massacre of 70 royals planned by Burma’s last king, Thibaw.

Craig Campbell

· Aug 04, 2020 · 09:30 pm

In 18th century, the British let a Persian prince get away with murder

The British thought treating prince Najaf as a common criminal would be an insult to the court of Persia.

Curstaidh Reid

· Aug 01, 2020 · 07:30 pm

Bombay plague of 1896: The first bio-political crisis to be captured on camera in colonial India

The images highlight the pandemic’s impact on the city and the colonial government’s role.

Shivani Sud

· Jul 27, 2020 · 07:30 pm

In a dictionary from 15th century India, illustrations of dolls, yo-yos and other playthings

It offers a glimpse into what childhood looked like in Central India’s Malwa Sultanate.

Vivek Gupta

· Jul 18, 2020 · 09:30 pm

The mystery of an East India Company ship that was in two places at the same time

Two journals from December 1620 place the Roebuck at two locations, 4,000 miles from each other.

Matt Griffin

· Jun 29, 2020 · 07:30 pm

From the archives: A glimpse of ancient Hebrew and Latin treatises on palmistry

An 18th century text specifies six palm lines that dictate one’s influence, wisdom, honour, fate, life span and riches.

Zsofi Buda

· Jun 07, 2020 · 09:30 pm

How my team and I accidentally discovered text on the Dead Sea Scrolls

The 2,000-year-old documents were thought to be blank – until recently.

Joan Taylor, The Conversation

· May 25, 2020 · 11:30 pm

The British were met with fire and fury when they tried to conduct a census in 1870s Bengal

The resistance by Santals spread fear and panic among the British and other local groups.

John O’Brien

· Nov 26, 2019 · 01:30 pm

Video: ‘Failed, succeeded, for us he was always ‘apla’ Sachin’: Rajdeep Sardesai on Sachin Tendulkar

From the Archives: ‘For millions of Indians, Tendulkar was and always will be the God of Cricket,’ says Rajdeep Sardesai in his book ‘Democracy’s XI’.

Smitha Nair

· Apr 24, 2018 · 09:00 am

From the Archives: ‘She is the most consummate actor I know’, Vidya Balan on her love for Sridevi

Vidya Balan talks of paying tribute to the legendary actor’s performance in the iconic song 'Hawa Hawai'.

Smitha Nair

· Feb 27, 2018 · 12:14 pm

British empire’s hidden workings in India and Iran revealed in remarkable film footage

Over a hundred historic expeditionary and travel films have been digitised recently by the Royal Geographical Society and the British Film Institute.

Jonathan Westaway, The Conversation

· Feb 06, 2018 · 08:30 pm