30 archival photos that reveal new facets of the past (31 photos)

It's amazing how photos we find boring today—be they selfies, landscapes, or group photos—become interesting when they're over thirty years old. We love history, especially visual evidence. We've collected several vintage photographs that might surprise you.





1. Maori performing a ritual haka dance in Egypt



This photograph, taken in Helwan in 1941, reflects Maori cultural traditions. It depicts the 28th Battalion fighting against the German invasion of Greece.

2. Wedding rings found by American soldiers in 1945





Rings, watches, precious stones, glasses, and gold teeth of prisoners at Buchenwald concentration camp, Germany, April 1945.

3. Tsam Mask Dance in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, 1925



A religious service in the form of dance, designed to purify the community and ward off evil spirits.

4. The First Underwater Portrait, 1899



This photograph, taken in 1899 in Banyuls-sur-Mer, depicts Romanian scientist Emil Racovița underwater. He holds a sign reading "Photographie sous-marine," indicating that the image was taken underwater.

5. Roland, a two-ton elephant seal, at the Berlin Zoo in the 1930s



6. Testing children's gas masks at a London hospital, 1940



During the training, hospital nurses carried infants in special cocoon-like devices called "infant gas respirators." This was in preparation for possible evacuation in the event of gas poisoning.

7. A Woman Suffering from Rare Diseases



Julia Pastrana was born in 1834 in Mexico. She became a singer and artist, but her life was marred by a rare genetic disorder called hypertrichosis. This disorder caused black hair to grow all over her body. Pastrana also suffered from gingival hyperplasia, a condition in which the gums become significantly enlarged.

8. Filming the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer title sequence, 1929



9. An Inuit shaman exorcise evil spirits from a sick boy, Nushagak, Alaska, 1912



10. Excavations at Pompeii, 1961 Year



11. Lady Florence Norman on a motorhome in 1916, London



A British suffragette rides to work. The vehicle was a birthday gift from her husband, Henry Norman.

12. Excavations at Oseberg



An oak Viking ship (drakkar) was discovered in 1904 near Tønsberg in the Norwegian county of Vestfold. The remains of two women of high social standing were found in the ship. Fragments of oriental silk fabrics, a well-preserved cart, and peacock bones were also found.

13. The Ainu at the Beginning of the 20th Century



The oldest population of the Japanese islands at the turn of the 20th century. Due to forced assimilation in 1966, only about 300 people spoke the Ainu language. By 1980, fewer than 100 people spoke it, and today it is most likely extinct.

14. Human Zoo in New York



The photograph shows a Filipino tribe in loincloths on Coney Island in the 1900s. Similar performances were staged throughout America and Europe, creating "human zoos." Spectators watched and laughed, dismissing their way of life as primitive.

15. Radium Girls, 1922



Before people knew about the dangers of radiation, many women worked as "radium girls." Their job was to hand-paint watch dials with radioluminescent paint. Unfortunately, due to prolonged exposure without protection, they suffered severe consequences: radiation poisoning, anemia, jaw decay, and cancer.

16. Testing a bulletproof vest in 1923



Two representatives of a New York-based protective clothing company presented their innovative product – a lightweight bulletproof vest. The presentation took place at the Washington, D.C., police headquarters in the presence of several officers.

17. The discovery of the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun in 1923



Protector goddesses with outstretched wings on the doors serve as proof that the explorers have reached the heart of the sanctuaries.

18. Working on the cartoon "101 Dalmatians," 1961



19. Knife sharpeners in France in the early 20th century



They worked lying on their stomachs to prevent back pain. Their workshops were usually cold and damp, so their dogs warmed their feet.

20. A toddler plays with the inhabitants of an alligator farm in Los Angeles, 1900



21. The Lion Tamer



In this photo, renowned circus performer and animal tamer Jack Bonavita poses with 13 lions as part of his act "The Chair." He later began working with polar bears, a decision that proved fatal for him.

22. Mannequin heads used by the Alcatraz escapees in 1962



Frank Morris and brothers Clarence and John Anglin escaped from Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary on June 11, 1962. They used mannequins to deceive guards. The dummies were made from a mixture of toilet paper, toothpaste, concrete dust, and soap, with the addition of paint and real human hair.

23. Dederick and Grass's Steam Man



The photograph shows a steam engine invented by American inventors Zadok P. Dederick and Isaac Grass in 1868. The humanoid "robot" was designed to pull a loaded wagon.

24. Woodstock Opening Ceremony, 1969



Swami Satchidananda, yoga guru and spiritual mentor, addressed a huge crowd at the Woodstock Festival on August 15, 1969. At the height of the Vietnam War, event organizers approached him with a request to bring peace and harmony by blessing the people.

25. Statue of Liberty, view from the torch



The torch was closed to visitors after the explosion on July 30, 1916, known as "Black Tom."

26. Guinness Brewery in Dublin, 1906/1913



Founded in 1759, the brewery was producing 1.2 million barrels per year by 1886. This made it the largest beer producer in the world and one of the city's most prominent enterprises.

27. Firefighters battle a fire in Amsterdam



On February 16, 1963, a fire broke out in the C&A department store on the Damrak in Amsterdam. It was likely started by a short circuit. It became the largest fire in the city since 1945. Despite the best efforts of firefighters, the building was completely destroyed.

28. The McDonald brothers in San Bernardino, California, 1948



In this 1948 photo, brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald stand in front of the yet-to-open first McDonald's restaurant. They closed their barbecue restaurant to focus on a new format—fast food. The menu would be simple: hamburgers, cheeseburgers, fries, shakes, soft drinks, and apple pie.

29. Contestants in the 1947 Halloween Beauty Pageant, Anaheim, USA



30. Fingerprints of Gangster Alvin Karpis



Karpis was known for bank robberies, kidnappings, and car thefts. He erased his fingerprints with the help of criminalist Joseph Moran. He was arrested by FBI agents on May 1, 1936.