Release date is 2012-12-03

The meaning of mourning -- Curiosities of cypher -- Strange wills -- Queer culprits -- Ghosts in court -- Strange pains and penalties -- What are women made of? -- "Flagellum salutis" -- "Hermippus redivivus" -- The Baroness de Beausoleil -- Some crazy saints -- The jackass of Vanvres -- A mysterious vale -- King Robert of Sicily -- Sortes sacræ -- Chiapa chocolate -- The Philosopher's Stone.

E-text prepared by the Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by Internet Archive (http://archive.org)

"Curiosities of Olden Times" by S. Baring-Gould is a historical account written in the late 19th century. This work explores a collection of fascinating oddities and customs from ancient times, delving into topics such as mourning rituals, strange wills, and peculiar legal cases. It serves as a survey of the intriguing and sometimes bizarre practices that have arisen in human history. The opening of the book sets the stage by discussing the evolution and meanings behind mourning customs, particularly the use of black clothing as a symbol of grief. Baring-Gould reveals how these customs have transformed over time, illustrating that their original significance has often been forgotten. The narrative draws connections between primitive societies and contemporary practices, providing a compelling glimpse into how humanity's perceptions of death and mourning have changed. The author employs a mix of anthropology and historical anecdotes to paint a vivid picture of how customs evolve while retaining elements of their ancient origins. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

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