Anne Ewbank

Contributor

About

Anne Ewbank is an editor and writer based in California.

More from Anne Ewbank

A colorized historical photograph of a woman in a white coat holding Simon, a black and white tuxedo cat who served as a celebrated ship's cat in the British Royal Navy. The cat wears a pink collar with a name tag, and both the woman and the cat are positioned in front of a dark window.

The tiny tuxedo cat who became a naval hero

A colorized historical photograph showing a group of men in traditional Middle Eastern attire, including robes and turbans, gathered at an outdoor coffee house. On the left, a man in a white robe stands behind a counter featuring a large, ornate metal coffee urn. To the right, several other men are seated around a small table, engaged in conversation, reflecting the long history of coffee as a social staple.

4 times drinking coffee was illegal—or even punishable by death

A colorful, detailed line illustration depicting a medieval courtroom scene where a pig is standing trial. The pig stands on its hind legs at a wooden witness stand or dock, facing a panel of judges and clerics seated behind a long table. In the foreground, a man in a light blue robe points a finger accusatorially at the pig, while other onlookers in traditional medieval tunics and headwear watch the proceedings with expressions of concern and curiosity. The setting features gothic arched windows and draped backdrops typical of the period.

In medieval France, murderous pigs faced trial and execution