Meenybradden Woman

On May 3, 1978 turf cutters in Meenybradden Bod near Ardara, Ireland would find the body of a woman. It was found that the remains were of historical means. Her body would be kept in Dublin's city morgue and stayed in a freezer where the body was damaged. In July 1985 the body would be shipped to the British Museum and examined further.

It's believed that the woman was around 25 to 30 years old and died 1050-1410 CE. It is unknown how she died, but she didn't die violently. She was buried about a meter deep into the bog. It was strange that she was wrapped in a cloak dated by textile typology to the 16 to 17th centuries. However, the cloak was not carbon-dated and it's possible that it was from around the time she died. 

SOURCES:

Wikipedia

Mummipedia

Irish Central 

Agnaiyaaq or Little Girl

In 1994 Coastal Erosion exposed the body of a little girl at Ukkuqsi in the old whaling village of Utqiagvik in Alaska. The little girl was between 5 to 8 years old and lived and died between 800 and 1200. She was a member of the Thule people. Her name was lost, but she is known now as Agnaiyaaq or Little Girl. 

The little girl was loved in life. She was chronically sick in her short life. It was found that she had lung damage due to emphysema, and a rare congenital disorder, alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency. Though she was chronically sick her body and burial showed signs that she was well-loved. 

She had evidence in her lungs that she spent much of her life by fire and being cared for and chewing on leather trying to soften them. A little girl helping her family. She however only had clay, leather, and fur in her stomach. It's not believed that she was intentionally starved, but that she and her clan were starving at the time of her death.

With a mixture of her illness and starvation, the girl would pass away. She would be laid to rest carefully. She was buried with a small toboggan made of whale bone likely used to help move her about and wrapped in her fur parka. She was then buried in a cold cellar. 

After her scientific look at her body, she was then laid to rest by the Inuit people in Barrow, Alaska. 

SOURCES:

Jstor

Mummipedia

Seattle Times October 1995

Lemon Grove Mummies

 

photo

In 1966 a couple of teenage boys were obsessed with archeology. They heard of how in Mexico people were buried or mummified in caves. The boys would spend over a month exploring the caves of Chihuahua, Mexico for a discovery. They were successful in doing so as they discovered a pregnant mother and an infant possibly their child. In order to not be caught they would smuggle the remains over the border to Lemon Grove, California. The boys could not show off their discovery or turn the bodies over to a museum because what they had done was illegal. 

When the two were drafted they asked a friend if they could store the box in their garage. More than likely it was unknown to the friend what was inside the box. In 1980 the friend's mother opened the box while cleaning the garage. She was horrified at the sight and called the police. Where everything was discovered.

The remains were discovered to have lived and died between AD 1040 and AD 1260. The bodies were then donated to the San Diego Museum of Man and the Mexican Government decided to grant the U.S.  custody of them.

The mother was estimated to be around 15-years-old and was around 7 months pregnant and close to giving birth. The infant girl was around 1. It's not stated if the two were related. It's not believed that they were purposly buried. The teenage girl laid with her arms over her head.

One refrence states that a CT scanof the young woman revealed a dislocated shoulder, ossified hematoma on the back of the head, indicating blunt force trauma, and a dislocated hip. These injuries are similar to a fall, and she had died soon after.

Another refrences don't mention their deaths, but that it was suspected from their positions that they may have died in their sleep. 

SOURCES:

Atlas Obscura

Ancient Orgins

The Lemon Grove Mummies

Mumipedia

New Berwick Archer

 

Archeologists were investigating the historic Kirk Ness, which was the site of a church and cemetery in North Berwick, Scotland. The dig was organized by the Scottish Seabird Centre and latterly supported by Historic Scotland. It revealed structural remains including stone tools, lead objects, ceramic material, and butchered bones of seals and sea birds. This suggests that it was once a settlement.

One discovery was that the skeletal remains of a young man from the 12th or 13th centuries were found. He was over 20-years-old with a slightly better build than average. He had worn to his shoulder that suggests that he might have been an archer.

His death was brutal and seemed to have been professional. He had been fatally stabbed four times in the back, twice in the left shoulder, and twice in the ribs. The injuries suggested that the weapon used was a dagger-like weapon with symmetrical lozenge-shaped sections with sharp edges and at least 2.75 inches long. This suggests that the weapon may have been a dagger that was a specialist military weapon carried mainly by military men. With the weapon and the accuracy of the stab wounds pots towards a degree of professionalism and arguably a degree of calculation.

SOURCES:
Archeology Magazine

BBC February 21, 2014

The Herald February 21, 2014

The Mirror February 21, 2014

The Courier and Advertiser February 22, 2014

Unknown Artist: Isaac Master

 

The Isaac Master is an Italian Gothic painter who was active in the decoration of the Bascilla of San Francesco s'Assisi in Assisi towards the end of the 13th century (1291-1295). The Master's name derives from the fresco painting of the death of Isaac.

List of Known ArtworksBenedizione di Isacco a Giacobbe
Esaù respinto da Isacco
Giuseppe calato nel pozzo
Ritrovamento della coppa nel sacco di Beniamino
Uccisione di Abele
Volta dei Dottori della Chiesa

SOURCES:

Wikipedia

Web Gallery of Art

The Bocksten Man

 

In the 1880s a farm called Bocksten in Varberg Municipality, Sweden was created near a bog. The bog had been regularly drained and a harrow was used to gather peat by the owner Albert Johansson. A leather shoe was found in the wetland and donated to the Varberg County Museum, and later a shoe sole was also found in the bog.

On June 22, 1936, Albert's son Thur found a body while gathering peat. His harrow got caught on sackcloth. When Thur examined what he was hitting he saw parts of a skeleton. The next day Albert and Thur went and notified the police and doctor. It was then realized that the body was not recent and too old to be of investigation.

Johan Albert Sandklef, the director of Varberg County Museum, took over the body. He would invite others to help investigate the bog body that would eventually be called the Bocksten Man. They would measure and photograph the area before excavating.

The upper parts of the man passed through the harrow and were badly damaged. The lower parts stayed intact though. Though the body had been damaged his body is considered one of the best-preserved finds in Europe in that Era.

 It's believed he had been hit at the lower jaw, then the right ear, and then the lethal hit was towards the back of his head. He was then pushed to where he was found and impaled with three wooden poles used for roofing to the bottom of the bog. 

Bocksten Man's inner organs, parts of the lungs, liver, brain, and cartilage were preserved. It's believed that he's between 25 and 40 (more likely 35 to 40), but could be up to 60-years-old. He was 170 to 180 cm (5'7" to 5'11") tall with a slender build. His tunic was well-preserved, one of the best-preserved from that time. It was made of woollen fabric. He was wearing a gugel hood that was  90cm long and 2cm wide liripipe. He was wearing a shirt and a cloak and his legs were covered by hosiery. He had a fabric bag, foot coverings, leather shoes, a belt, a leather sheath and two knives. The sheath was 40mm wide and 62mm long, it was composed of 3 layers with a combined saltire and St. George's Cross carved on the outer layer. The inner laver had a similar pattern was carved, but with a pole added

The time he died was based on his clothing it's believed that he may have died between 1290 to 1430. His stature and items/clothing found with him makes it believed he was an upper class or a merchant.  It's also suggested that he was a tax collector or soldier recruiter. 

According to Albert Sandklef a local farmer, Karl Andersson, had heard of legend from when he was a child. His father was told bt two older people that a soldier recruiter was killed by local peasants. His body was put in the bog, but his ghost would haunt the area. So in order to stop it, poles were stuck into the body. Albert Sandklef asked other locals of this, but no one claimed to have heard of the story.

It's believed he had been hit at the lower jaw, then the right ear, and then the lethal hit was towards the back of his head. He was then pushed to where he was found and impaled with three wooden poles used for roofing to the bottom of the bog.

SOURCES:

Wikipedia

Mummipedia

Ancient Origins

The London Stone

The London Stone sits in Cannon Street in London, England behind a glass panel (formerly an iron gate). The purpose or reason for the preservations of a small block of limestone still a mystery. Originally the stone was a part of a larger object and was fixed in a street. For hundreds of years, the Stone was considered to be the heart of London. It had become a traditional place for people to pass laws, claim debts, declare oaths, and make official proclamations.  

The first mention of the London Stone was in 1188. It was referenced with Henry Fitz Ailwen also knowns as Henry Lundenstone referring to the area in which he lived. He had become Lord Mayor of London. It's possible the stone had been there up to 924-939, one website said it was actually first mentioned in documents. 

During Jack Cade's failed rebellion in 1450, Jack Cade was said to have struck the stone with his sword and declared he was "Lord of this City." In 1520 it was indicated on a map that the stone laid in the middle of the street. 

In 1742 the stone was moved further north on the street and then was built into the wall of St. Swithin''s Church. During the WWII Blitz, the church was badly damaged. The stone survived even though it home did not, in 1962 the Church was demolished. The stone was then moved to a wall in 111 Canon Street where it now lays. 

It could have been a something similar to a Roman Milestone. In which it was used to pinpoint a place to which all distances in Brittian or at least London were measured. This theory was done by William Camden's Brittanica in 1586.

The Stone may be the Stone of Brutus. The legend goes that it may have been part of an altar built by Brutus of Troy for the Goddess Diana. Some believe that the stone was blessed and had blessed London. "So long the Stone of Brutus is safe, so long London will flourish." 

It's possible that the stone was used in another religion as a form of worship. It could be possible the stone was used in ancient druid practices. This theory also came about in the 1500's by John Strow. In 1598 John Strow wrote The Survey of London in which he goes over his theory. 

Some believe that it may be the stone that King Arthur pulled the sword out of. It's highly unlikely though as a mystery lies with King Arthur. No one really knows if the king was real or not. 

In all honesty we may never find out why the London stone has been so important for hundreds of years. Hopefully for the next few hundred the same care is done for the stone and it's mysterious ability to survive Londons most difficult times. 

OTHER IMAGES:

London Stone depicted in 1873 (1887 copy) book Volume 1: Old and New London. It was illustrated by Walter Thornbury. 

Church of St Swithin, London Stone, in Cannon Street, London; engraving after Thomas H. Shepherd, 1831. The church is by Christopher Wren, 1678. A prominent stone casing in the middle of the church's south wall houses London Stone.

 London Stone and St Swithin's Church in Cannon Street, London, as depicted on the "Copperplate" map of London of c.1553-59

SOURCES:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Stone

http://mentalfloss.com/article/69113/6-myths-london-stone

https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/london-stone-0010746

http://bitaboutbritain.com/the-london-stone/

http://www.walklondon.com/london-attractions/london-stone.htm

https://lostcityoflondon.co.uk/tag/london-stone/

The Devils Bible

Photograph courtesy to The National Library of Sweden.

The Codex Gigas (Latin for Giant book) or the Devil's Bible is single handedly the biggest book or manuscript from the Middle Ages. It is massive with 310 parchment leaves or pages made from a from 160 different animals (most likely donkeys or calfskin). There are unfortunately a few pages missing from it. This monster of a book weighs a whopping 165 lbs and it takes two adults to lift it. People call it the Devil's Bible not only because of the picture of the Devil in it, but because of the legend that comes with it.

The legend goes that a 13th century Benedict monk broke his vows. For the punishment of  that he was sentenced to be walled up alive. In an attempt to save his own life he promises to write a book in a single night of all human knowledge. Out of mercy they accepted his plea, probably not believing he'd do it. When the monk realized that he could not finish the book he turned to the Devil for help. In return the Devil asked for his soul and the monk gladly gave it to him. In thanks for that the monk dedicated a picture to the Devil.

In reality it is believed they do believe that it was worked on by a single monk, but it was over decades and not a single night. there have been test done that show the calligraphy alone would had taken 5 years of none stop writing. It isn't known who the monk was and no other work done by him had ever been found.

It is believed to be the only bible of that era to depict the Devil. Even though there were many depictions of the Devil in painting the one in this book has a whole page dedicated to him by himself which was rare. On the other side was a picture of  the heavenly city. These are the only two images in the book in which a whole page was dedicated to.

                            Photograph's courtesy to The National Library of Sweden

In the book there many works inside of it. Many of the works include the Bible, some medical information of the time, a calendar, science and alchemy and even more. Even though the legend says that the Devil helped the monk there isn't actually any indications of the Devil being seen in a good light. More than likely the images were placed in the book next to each other to show representations of Good and Evil.

On the pages that followed the Devil image there are instructions and rituals on how to exercise demons. Illnesses during the middle ages were thought to have been caused by the possessions of demons. It wasn't just people, but objects that could be exercised.

It is unsure what the origin of the The Codex Gigas. It is believed to be created in Bohemia which is now modern day Czech Republic. A note in the manuscript stated that it was pawned off by the Podlažice Monks to the monastery at Sedlec in 1295. It was then passed to the monastery of Břevnov near Prague. It isn't known the exact place it was created and it isn't known if it was created at Podlažice, but there is a possibility it was.

In 1594 Rudolf II, who was King of Bohemia 1575-1611, moved the Codex Gigas to his castle in Prague. It remained there up until the 30 Year War and was taken by Sweden. It was then placed into a collection at a Stockholm royal library by  Queen Christina of Sweden. It was the put in the National Library of Sweden where it now resides.

So do you believe the legend of the Devil's Bible or that it was the work of a determined monk?

SOURCES:
https://voices.nationalgeographic.org/2008/12/17/devil_bible/
https://aleteia.org/2017/04/12/its-not-the-devils-bible-its-just-the-codex-gigas/
http://www.kb.se/codex-gigas/eng/short/history/