In praise of Bate-Bola, Rio’s seductive, scary alternative Carnival

The fall of Angkor, ancient tattoo needles, and the Joan of Arc tower. Email not displaying correctly? View in your browser. March 04, 2019 Bate-Bola In the sprawling, landlocked northern and western reaches of greater Rio de Janeiro, far from the crowds of tourists that descend on the city just before Lent, there is a parallel Carnival universe full of garish costumes, masked clowns, and favela funk. Read More → Fall of Angkor New research suggests that the the collapse of Angkor, the capital of the Khmer Empire, wasn't caused by a sudden catastrophe, but a gradual exodus. Read more → Atlas Obscura Trips Dinos and Dunes This June, venture with us into the Colorado desert to unearth the mysteries of the goliath beasts that once roamed this wild and rugged terrain. Learn more → Ancient Tattoo Needles The oldest tattoo needles found in western North America could help sharpen our understanding of Pueblo prehistory. Read more → Atlas Obscura Events Going to SXSW? We’re excited to announce our two-day activation in partnership with GORE-TEX and Ghostly International at Waller Creek Boathouse. Join local ecologists, accomplished explorers, researchers, experts, and world-class musicians to expand your boundaries and experience Austin's natural wonders. RSVP Here → Pompeii Refugees After Mount Vesuvius erupted in A.D. 79, archaeologists accounted for some 2,000 inhabitants of Pompeii and Herculaneum from voids in the ash, but their population at the time was around 15,000 people. So where did everyone else go? Read more → Rouen, France Joan of Arc Tower A foreboding 13th-century tower is the sole surviving relic of the medieval castle of Rouen, the last place Joan of Arc was held before being burned at the stake. Read more → Visit AtlasObscura.com · View in Browser · Unsubscribe · See All Newsletters 61 Greenpoint Ave #622, Brooklyn, NY 11222