Anonymous Artists: Master of Offida

The Virgin and Child Enthroned; Christ on the Cross between the Virgin and Saint John the Evangelist

The Maestro di Offida or Master of Offida is an unknown artist who has artwork attributed to them in 1350 to 1370. The Master painted beautiful frescos in Offida and Ascoli Piceno in Marche, Italy. He has a style of courtly realism and may have had influence seems to have been the school of Giotto, and rebellion against the Byzantine school. This style has become known as Rimini School.

It's thought that the artist may have worked with Allegretto Nuzi or Andrea da Bologna. He could have also been a monk, but this is unknown. His identity is still unknown. His artwork can be identified through his unique way of painting rays from halos. 

SOURCES:

Wikipedia

Montefiore Dell Aso

Harvard Art Museums

Madonna with Saint Giovanni and the UFO

The Painting The Madonna with Saint Giovannino was painted in the 15th century. Most people credit it to the Italian Renaissance painter Domenico Ghirlandaio. Ghirlandaio had lead an artist workshop in Florence that Michelangelo apprenticed at. There is some controversy on who painted it, but that's not the mystery.  

The painting was like many religious ones at the time. The only thing that sticks out is the object sitting in the upper right area of the sky. It seems that the shepherd in the background is staring at it. Many believe that the strange shape looks like a UFO. 

Actually the "flying saucer" may have been an angel in the form of a dark cloud. Even though it's rare for artists to depict angels like this it isn't unheard of. The mystery of what the thing floating in the sky may never have a definitive answer.


SOURCES:
https://www.historicmysteries.com/madonna-with-saint-giovannino/
https://www.walksinsideflorence.it/the-mystery-of-the-madonna-and-the-ufo.html
https://www.florenceinferno.com/madonna-of-ufo-painting-palazzo-vecchio/
http://www.italymagazine.com/news/madonna-saint-giovannino-ufo-inspired-art
https://coolinterestingstuff.com/the-madonna-with-saint-giovannino-ufo-painting
https://www.singularfortean.com/singularjournal/2016/6/10/anachronistic-art-the-madonna-with-saint-giovannino
https://www.strangerdimensions.com/2014/05/06/madonna-saint-giovannino-ufo/

Who Built The Helix Staircase of Loretto Chapel?

When the Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe, New Mexico has the main attraction. Many people go to churches to look at the paintings, statues, and structures. The thing most people come to see is the Helix Staircase that was built by a mysterious stranger. At first, it was a mystery of how the staircase stood, but now people know that it's because of the physics of the staircase.  Now the mystery still lies in who the kind stranger was and where did the spruce wood he used come from.

Here's a bit of history of the Chapel first.

The story of the Loretto Chapel began in 1850. Bishop Jean Baptiste Lamy saw a need to educate girls in the New Mexico Territory. Six Sisters were sent to start Loretto Academy for Girls. The sisters also had to learn Spanish as that was a language spoken in the territory. In 1853 when they arrived in Santa Fe the school was opened.

It wasn't until 20 years later in 1873 when they were able to start constructing the Chapel. The Chapel was inspired by French architecture, specifically of Sainte Chapelle in Paris. By 1878 the Architect of the structure had died before finishing the choir loft 22 feet high. Unfortunately, a staircase would have taken up too much floor space and the Chapel had no money to redo it.

It is said that the sisters did a nine-day novena to Saint Joseph the Saint of Carpenters for a miracle. On the final day their prayers were answered, a carpenter appeared. He arrived with a carpenters square and hammers, and he used wooden pegs instead of nails. His only rule for the job was that he was to do it in private. He had completed his job and left just as mysteriously as he arrived.

When the sisters saw the finished product they were shocked. The staircase has two 360 degree turns and has no center pole for support. It was exactly what they needed. It didn't take too much room and the choir loft was useful. later a railing was added so that it was easier to climb. The sisters searched to find out what kind of wood he used, but it turns out to not have been native to the area.

The Sisters were thankful for the stranger. Some believed that it was Saint Joseph himself or someone sent in by Saint Joseph. All that is known is that the Sisters prayers were answered.

SOURCES:
https://www.lorettochapel.com/info/staircase
https://www.lorettochapel.com/info/our-story
https://www.historicmysteries.com/loretto-chapel-staircase/
https://www.ancient-origins.net/unexplained-phenomena/mysterious-helix-staircase-loretto-chapel-001295

Doppelgangers or Spirit Doubles

Natalie Portman and Keira Knightly

Doppelgangers are people who seemingly look exactly alike, but have no biological relation. The term Doppelganger was first used by German author Johann Paul Ritcher under the pen name Jean-Paul in 1796. It means double goer and was to describe spirit doubles in German Folklore.

According to old German folk tales All living creatures have a spirit double that lives an identical but invisible life. These spirits were essentially the "evil spirit twin" or the Mr. Hyde of the relationship to a person. These double spirits are distinctive from ghosts, as ghosts only show after death.

Seeing a doppelganger is seen as an omen. They show no shadows and is a replica or double of a living person. Sometimes they are considered to be a warning of an impending death. If relatives or friends see a doppelganger it would mean they'd become ill or in danger. If a person saw their own doppelganger it meant death.

The doppelganger may give their person advice. The advice, unfortunately, will be filled with malace or implant evil thoughts into their mind. All in all, it was known to not trust a doppelganger if you were to meet one.

Spirit doubles are in many civilizations throughout history.

The earliest references to spirit doubles were found in Zoroastrianism on the Zurvanite branch. They have an abstract duality of Zoroastrianism which is pictured as twins born of good and evil. The twin sons of Ahura Mazdā. Angra Mainyu was representative of evil and Spenta Mainyu is representative of the holy spirit.

Scientists say there is a completely logical reason for people who look the same to not be biologically connected. Humans are meant to look different for the importance of individuality in our species. Our features vary more than other animals do, but our genetics do not.

So while many people look different odds are that people will look similar even though they aren't biologically related. You'll find that they look almost identical, but if you take a closer look they aren't identical. You'll find that even if you find your doppelganger you'll see something they don't have that you have or vice versa. You can see similar features in modern religions like for example God and the Devil in Christianity.

In Ancient Egypt, Ka is said to be a spirit double that has the exact memories as the person. The exact definition of Ka is controversial though and may not mean as a spirit double, but as a protecting divine spirit of a person.

SOURCES:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doppelg%C3%A4nger
https://globalnews.ca/news/2300048/your-doppelganger-exists-according-to-science-heres-why/
https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends/doppelgangers-and-mythology-spirit-doubles-001825
https://mythology.net/others/concepts/doppelganger/

December 18, 1996 Fairfax County, Virginia Jane Doe

On December 18, 1996 A groundskeeper for Pleasant Valley Memorial Park Cemetery stumbled upon the body of a woman who was lying near the section where infants were buried. Unfortunately she had taken a mixture of alcohol and Valium and then placed a plastic bag over her head and taped the bottom of it. She was also wearing headphones and listening to Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner doing the 2000 Year Old Man. This was how she died.

She left two notes at the scene one for the coroner,and one for the cemetery, both with the same typed note: Deceased by own hand...prefer no autopsy. Please order cremation with funds provided. Thank you, Jane Doe.

She also brought with herself to the scene a small Christmas Tree adorned with red ribbons and gold balls. A green knapsack that held Jeff Foxworthy's You Might Be A Redneck cassette, a tape of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, two empty juice bottles, and a new roll of masking.

She was a 50 to 70 year old woman around 5'0 and 157 lbs. She had curly red or auburn hair that was mostly a cooper color. She had an 8 inch scar on her abdomen most likely due to a C-Section. Her fingernails were painted red. She was wearing  a medium teal all-weather Eddie Baur hooded jacket , a large navy blue Classiques Entier sweater , a XL red Classiques Entier sweater, a petite large red Classiques Entier sleeveless silk shirt, a large navy blue Classiques Entier knit wool pants , knee-high stockings, white support bra, white Fruit of the Loom underpants, and size 7 black loafers . Her clothes may have come from an upscale store such as Saks Fifth Avenue. Her jewelry includes a pair of bifocals, two clip-on earrings, a small gold women's Guess watch with a mesh band, a 14-karat gold ring with four jade stones, and a metal bead chain with a medic alert "NO CODE, DNR, No Penicillin."

The area she was found in would be difficult to find and probably may not be known to a drifter. This does not mean she did not happen upon the area.  All the infant graves she was found lying near were more recent.

Other Images:

SOURCES:

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/245ufva.html

https://identifyus.org/cases/6279

January 25, 1984 Baker, Nevada J Doe

On Jan. 25, 1984 a faded grayish blue/green, two-door hardtop 1968 Chevrolet BelAir was found 45 miles east of Ely at the Willow Patch Rest Stop in Bakers, Nevada. Inside was a sad sight as a man had committed suicide by connecting a hose from his exhaust into the interior of his vehicle. He had been there for a week and had died from carbon monoxide poisoning.

He left a suicide note signed J with a p.s. requesting $201.40 to be donated to the Mormon Church. The suicide note was similarly written like a prayer.  "Please forgive then all, dear Lord, for any hurt they cause this humble servant whom they never knew -- who got awful tired on the journey and could go no further."

It had been apparent that he was living in his vehicle. The back seat and support seat were missing, most likely to make more room to live in. The glove box had an electric component box, with switches and three colored lights which had five leads going from the device to the celonoid on the starter as a power source. It was thought to be a timing device to turn off the vehicle after a set time. It was possibly homemade. His vehicle had no license plates and the VIN of his vehicle was 155118T240844. There was no match made with the VIN.

He was a white male between the ages of 40 and 46 years old. He was between 5'11" to 6'0" and 170 to180 lbs. He had red or auburn or brown hair that was graying on the sides. He was wearing a thin blue jacket with a hood, a yellow button-up sweater, a white long-sleeved shirt, and green trousers. Additional clothing inside the vehicle included a black medium windbreaker, blue medium shirt, beige medium windbreaker, blue and red checkered shirt, and black golf shoes with the spikes removed. None of the clothes had tags. He had a brown wallet with $201.40 and prescription glasses and military non-prescription glasses. 

He has Dentals and Fingerprints, but no DNA.

SOURCES:

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/2038umnv.html

https://identifyus.org/cases/full_report/7428

Dawn Olanick "Princess Doe"

On April 22, 2022, Princess Doe was identified as 17-year-old Dawn Olanick from Long Island New York. She was asked to leave her home in Long Island in the summer of 1982. 

On July 15, 1982, her body was found at the Cedar Ridge Cemetery in Blairstown, New Jersey. It was the body of a teenager. She was brutally beaten to death, and her face had been severely beaten making her unrecognizable. She was originally thought of dying weeks ahead but was then estimated to have died days prior. 

After the images of the girl's clothing were shown to the public a woman came forward. She claimed that she had seen a girl matching her description and clothing description at a store near the cemetery several days before.  Her clothing was found to have originated in Long Island, New York.  But she remained unidentified.

Arthur Kinlaw confessed to killing the victim in 1999. He claimed she was a prostitute and his wife, Donna, claimed to have seen the victim with her husband. Saying he had killed the victim and threatened her if she was to turn him in. 

It's believed that he and Dawn amy have met in New York. He had wanted to force Dawn into prostitution and she refused. This led to him kidnapping her and the two ended up in New Jersey where he beat her to death. Charges have been brought against him in this case. 

SOURCES:

Unidentified Wiki

Doe Network

Wikipedia

Daily Record July 17, 1982

Daily Record July 19, 1982

The Central New Jersey Home News September 27, 1982

CBS July 15, 2022

March 02, 1969 Clark County, Nevada John Doe

On March 2, 1969 the mummified body of an adult male was found in a Desert Area 6.4 miles north of the intersection of  Pabco and Kids Mine Rd in Clark County.  It was determined he had been there for several months and had mummified due to the conditions of the desert.

He was a white male between the ages of 40 to 70. He was around  6'1 and 185 lbs  He had brown hair and eye color could not be determined. He was wearing a large maroon pull-over Tony Lema golf sweater Grey trousers 33x29 and was wearing size 10 black shoes. He was also wearing a necklace with a small religious medallion that had a small plastic cover over a sunburst with a dove inscribed with "Come Holy Spirit, Enlighten Me."

SOURCES:
https://www.identifyus.org/en/cases/392

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/