An 1888 dyeing manual reveals how ostrich feathers became haute couture and a sustainable alternative to plume hunting

money & economicsThe Public Domain Review1800s · South Africa / Europe / America

An 1888 dyeing manual reveals how ostrich feathers became haute couture and a sustainable alternative to plume hunting

the gist

In the 19th century dyed ostrich feathers were high fashion, adorning the hats and boas of women on both sides of the Atlantic. Ostrich farming boomed in South Africa, where farms around Oudtshoorn made "feather barons" rich. Dyeing feathers with new synthetic dyes was a skilled craft, and The Practical Ostrich Feather Dyer (1888), by Alexander Paul, includes 48 coloured feather samples on twelve plates. The trade crashed around 1914 with the outbreak of World War I and changing tastes, leaving farms with unsold feathers.

so what

The plume trade shows how fashion drives global commerce and the use of animals, and how a boom can vanish almost overnight. It is also an early example of synthetic dyes changing a craft.

fun fact

In the early 1900s ostrich feathers were among South Africa's biggest exports, behind only gold, diamonds and wool.

Image: The Public Domain Review

source: The Public Domain Review ↗

historyWikipediaclassic1336–1565 · Karnataka, India

Hampi was once one of the world's largest cities, until its Vijayanagara capital was destroyed in 1565

the gist

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.

how it works

The city was built around a fortified core with temples, markets and water structures along the river, supplied by an extensive network of roads and waterworks. When the empire fell, the city was not rebuilt, so its stone monuments were left standing.

so what

Hampi shows how quickly a great city can vanish after a military defeat, and how a ruined capital can remain sacred. Its ruins give historians a view of medieval South Asia that few other sites can match.

fun fact

The name Hampi comes from Pampa, an old name for the Tungabhadra River.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · text CC BY-SA 4.0

Image: Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

2 min

politicsshortCNA2:01

False allegations about Singapore’s hand in Indonesia’s markets and a made-up meeting

from CNA

CNA Verify has found close to 400 posts pushing falsehoods tying Singapore to Indonesia’s stock market rout and to a secret meeting that never took place. Together, they drew nearly 12 million views, and some were circulated by accounts that appeared to be working in concert, across multiple social media platforms.

Here’s how the disinformation campaign targeting Singapore was uncovered.

on YouTube: CNA ↗