David Starr Jordan & Floriography - Ep. 20

Good Luck Charms - Ep. 25

Horseshoes. Hamsa hands. Lucky bamboo. What do they all have in common? Humans have been reaching for them for thousands of years, hoping to tip the cosmic scales. This week we take a world tour of good luck — the charms, the plants, and a few wild facts you won't see coming. Spoiler: the scarab beetle is a dung roller and chimney sweeps are still getting hired to kiss brides. Buckle up. Arts, culture, and food for thought — this is RenFare. Socials: Visit us on IG @renfarepod We are on TikTok @renfarepodcast Check us out on YouTube @renfarepod 1. Wikipedia — List of Lucky Symbols: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_lucky_symbols 2. National Geographic — How Good Luck Charms Reflect World Cultures: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/evil-eyes-and-other-good-luck-charms-around-the-world 3. HISTORY — 8 Unusual Good Luck Charms: https://www.history.com/articles/eight-unusual-good-luck-charms 4. Invaluable — 24 Good Luck Charms from Around the World: https://www.invaluable.com/blog/good-luck-charms/ 5. Reader’s Digest — 15 Good-Luck Charms from Around the World: https://www.rd.com/list/good-luck-charms/ 6. Fortune & Frame — 17 Good Luck Symbols from Around the World: https://fortuneandframe.com/blogs/news/good-luck-symbols 7. Plantisima — 17 Lucky Plants Throughout History: https://plantisima.com/lucky-plants-throughout-history-and-how-to-grow-them-today/ 8. Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum — The Auspicious Arrival of the Jade Plant: https://www.gardnermuseum.org/blog/auspicious-arrival-jade-herald-good-fortune 9. Good Luck Symbols — Lucky Bamboo: https://goodlucksymbols.com/lucky-bamboo/ 10. Jackpot.com — The History and Significance of Lucky Numbers: https://www.jackpot.com/blog/lottery-tips/the-world-of-lucky-numbers 11. HowStuffWorks — 13 Superstitions About Lucky and Unlucky Numbers: https://people.howstuffworks.com/13-superstitions-about-numbers.htm 12. NextShark — Lucky and Unlucky Numbers Around the World: https://nextshark.com/lucky-numbers-superstitions-and-phone-numbers 13. History Skills — The Surprising Viking Origins of the Days of the Week: https://www.historyskills.com/classroom/year-7/days-of-the-week/ 14. Tasarla Romaney — Superstitions Around the Days of the Week: https://tasarlaromaney.wordpress.com/2025/03/07/superstitions-around-the-days-of-the-week-what-each-day-holds-in-folklore-and-myth/ 15. Britannica — Week (Origins): https://www.britannica.com/science/week 16. Inner Sanctum — Unraveling the History of Luck: https://shopinnersanctum.com/blogs/news/a-journey-through-time-unraveling-the-history-of-luck 17. Ancient Origins — 10 Ancient Superstitions and Their Origins: https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-ancient-traditions/ancient-superstitions-0019832 18. Wikipedia — Luck: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luck 19. Kaneland Krier — The History of Common Superstitions: https://kanelandkrier.com/columnist-corner/the-history-of-common-superstitions/

The Woman Who Left Picasso - Ep. 24

At five years old, Françoise Gilot decided she would become a painter. She spent the next 96 years proving it. This week on RenFare, we're diving into the remarkable life and legacy of one of the 20th century's most fascinating artists — a woman whose colorful, mythology-rich canvases spanned eight decades, whose work earned France's highest honor for the arts, and who, even in her final years, never stopped creating. You may know her name for other reasons. By the end of this episode, you'll know it for the right ones. Socials: Visit us on IG @renfarepod We are on TikTok @renfarepodcast Check us out on YouTube @renfarepod

Politics to the Pyramids: Egyptology PT2 - Ep. 23

Gods, giants, and the ghost of a civilization. Part 2 of our Ancient Egypt series covers the pharaohs who defined a dynasty — including a queen erased from history, a boy king buried in gold, and the ruler who negotiated the world's first peace treaty. Then we get into the big question: how were the pyramids actually built? And we close by asking what 3,000 years of one of the world's greatest civilizations looks like today. Arts, culture, and food for thought — this is RenFare. Socials: Visit us on IG @renfarepod We are on TikTok @renfarepodcast Check us out on YouTube @renfarepod Resources: Britannica — List of Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt: https://www.britannica.com/topic/list-of-pharaohs-of-ancient-Egypt History Hit — 10 Famous Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs: https://www.historyhit.com/famous-ancient-egyptian-pharaohs/ History Cooperative — Egyptian Pharaohs: https://historycooperative.org/egyptian-pharaohs/ World History Edu — Most Famous Pharaohs of Egypt: https://worldhistoryedu.com/famous-pharaohs-of-egypt/ National Geographic — How Were the Pyramids of Giza Built?: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/giza-pyramids BBC Science Focus — We Might Finally Know How the Pyramids Were Built: https://www.sciencefocus.com/science/egyptian-pyramids-new-studies Wikipedia — Great Pyramid of Giza: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza Wikipedia — Construction of the Egyptian Pyramids: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Construction_of_the_Egyptian_pyramids Smithsonian Institution — The Egyptian Pyramid: https://www.si.edu/spotlight/ancient-egypt/pyramid Wikipedia — Ancient Egypt (Fall of Egypt): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egypt Wikipedia — Culture of Egypt: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Egypt Nile Cruisen — Modern Egypt History & Tourism Guide: https://nilecruisen.com/modern-egypt/ Social Studies Help — Exploring Egyptian Culture: Ancient Roots in Modern Times: https://socialstudieshelp.com/exploring-egyptian-culture-ancient-roots-in-modern-times/ Harvard in the Community — Ancient Egyptian Culture and Its Continuity in Modern Egypt: https://community.harvard.edu/event/ancient-egyptian-culture-and-its-continuity-modern-egypt Egypt Plans — Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs List: https://egyptplanners.com/egyptian-pharaohs/ [https://egyptplanners.com/egyptian-pharaohs/] https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-egyptians-may-have-used-hydraulic-lift-to-build-pyramid-180984843/ [https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-egyptians-may-have-used-hydraulic-lift-to-build-pyramid-180984843/]

Life in Ancient Egypt & The Birth of Hysteria - Ep. 22

Ever wondered what daily life was like in ancient Egypt? 🌍 Let’s step back in time and explore the real stories! Life in ancient Egypt was about more than just pyramids and pharaohs. It revolved around the Nile's life-giving waters, shaping agriculture, trade, and even social structures. Next we'll dive into the history of hysteria. What does a wandering uterus and Freud have in common? We'll go through the time to find the source of the patriarchy's creation of a "hysterical woman". Whiny Woman Substack - https://drmaryclairehaver.substack.com/p/the-whiny-woman Socials: Visit us on IG @renfarepod We are on TikTok @renfarepodcast Check us out on YouTube @renfarepod 1. World History Encyclopedia — Daily Life in Ancient Egypt: https://www.worldhistory.org/article/933/daily-life-in-ancient-egypt/ 2. World History Encyclopedia — Egyptian Religion: https://www.worldhistory.org/Egyptian_Religion/ 3. World History Encyclopedia — Women in Ancient Egypt: https://www.worldhistory.org/article/623/women-in-ancient-egypt/ 4. World History Encyclopedia — Ancient Egyptian Government: https://www.worldhistory.org/Egyptian_Government/ 5. Wikipedia — Ancient Egypt: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egypt 6. Wikipedia — Ancient Egyptian Religion: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egyptian_religion 7. Smarthistory — Egyptian Social Organization: https://smarthistory.org/egyptian-social-organization-from-pharaoh-to-farmer/ 8. Egypt Tours Portal — Daily Life in Ancient Egypt: https://www.egypttoursportal.com/en-us/daily-life-in-ancient-egypt/ 9. Egypt Tours Portal — Ancient Egyptian Women: https://www.egypttoursportal.com/en-us/blog/ancient-egyptian-civilization/ancient-egyptian-women/ 10. Egypt Tours Portal — Ancient Egyptian Politics: https://www.egypttoursportal.com/en-us/blog/ancient-egyptian-civilization/ancient-egyptian-politics/ 11. Lumen Learning — Ancient Egyptian Religion: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-hccc-worldcivilization/chapter/ancient-egyptian-religion/ 12. PMC / NIH — Women and Gender in Ancient Egypt (academic): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5215293/ 13. The Fathom Archive (U. of Chicago) — Women's Legal Rights in Ancient Egypt: https://fathom.lib.uchicago.edu/1/777777190170/

The Pirate Republic & What's Written in the Stars - Ep. 21

Explore the fascinating world of pirates, separating fact from fiction during the Golden Age of Piracy. Discover their democratic structures, myths, and realities. Then find out the origins of astrology as we travel around the world linking the different astrological and astronomical theories. Socials: Visit us on IG @renfarepod We are on TikTok @renfarepodcast Check us out on YouTube @renfarepod References Wikipedia – Golden Age of Piracyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Age_of_Piracy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Age_of_Piracy] Wikipedia – Blackbeardhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackbeard [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackbeard] Wikipedia – Anne Bonnyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Bonny [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Bonny] Wikipedia – Bartholomew Robertshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartholomew_Roberts [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartholomew_Roberts] Wikipedia – William Kiddhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Kidd [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Kidd] Wikipedia – Piracyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piracy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piracy] Britannica – Piracyhttps://www.britannica.com/topic/piracy-international-law [https://www.britannica.com/topic/piracy-international-law] Britannica – Blackbeardhttps://www.britannica.com/biography/Blackbeard [https://www.britannica.com/biography/Blackbeard] Britannica – Bartholomew Robertshttps://www.britannica.com/biography/Bartholomew-Roberts [https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bartholomew-Roberts] UNODC – Maritime Piracy Reportshttps://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/piracy/ [https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/piracy/]