Matryoshka dolls nest inside each other, and the first set was carved in the 1890s

world cultures & travelWikipedia1890s · Russia

Matryoshka dolls nest inside each other, and the first set was carved in the 1890s

the gist

A matryoshka doll is a set of hollow wooden figures that split at the middle and nest one inside another, each smaller than the last. The outer figure is traditionally a woman in a sarafan dress, and the smallest, innermost piece is usually a baby carved from a single block. The first Russian set was made in the 1890s by the woodturner Vasily Zvyozdochkin from a design by the folk painter Sergey Malyutin at the Abramtsevo artists' colony. The painting is the real craft, and themes range from traditional peasant beauties to fairy-tale characters and historical figures. The dolls are still mass-produced today, and their nesting structure has become a symbol of Russian craft around the world.

so what

Matryoshka dolls show how a simple structural idea can carry a whole visual tradition, with artists turning the form into a canvas for stories and personalities. Their nested design has been copied across the world as a symbol of Russian folk art.

fun fact

In some countries matryoshka dolls are called babushka dolls, though Russians do not use that name, since babushka means grandmother.

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

Image: Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

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 ↗