This week I have articles on archaeology, museum exhibits, makerspaces, and a first-person account of the sinking of the Lusitania. I hope you have a chance to read a few historical highlights that intrigue you.

If you’re interested in culinary history and/or St. Patrick’s Day, I think you’ll like this article.

If the assassination of Julius Caesar is the only thing you associate with the Ides of March, you should read the Smithsonian Magazine’s list of nine other tragedies that took place on March 15.

The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario is hosting an exhibit titled “100 Years of Loss: The Residential School System in Canada” (on display at Queen’s Park until Monday). It includes archival photos, documents, and artwork. Read the press release.

“How Libraries Are Becoming Modern Makerspaces”

The Museum of London will be displaying archaeological artifacts from the Great Fire of London (1666) in its exhibit “Fire! Fire!” opening in July. Read more here.

A team of archaeologists has discovered the oldest known abecedary (table of an alphabetic writing system), dating to the 15th century BC.

In keeping with the theme of archaeology, here’s an article describing a recent find of an iron age burial ground in Yorkshire. It’s been called “hugely important” and “fascinating.”

And another article on the use of 3D imaging to recreate heritage sites destroyed or threatened by the Islamic State.

This blog post explains how online transcription projects work, a must read if you’re interested in volunteering to transcribe historical documents.

This article is a good overview of the importance (and difficulty) of preserving knowledge in all media, from vellum to digital files.

Lastly, here is a first-person account by a survivor of the Lusitania, which was sunk by a German U-boat in 1915.

If you have any other historical highlights to add, I hope you’ll leave a comment below. Enjoy this first weekend of spring!