by 29lab 
The 15 weirdest skeletons that have ever been found. Read the information and Watch the video to understand more.
Mystery Of 6-inch ‘Alien’ Skeleton With Conical Head
A 6-inch skeleton with unusual features, that was unearthed in the Atacama Desert in 2003, had baffled the science community for years. The strange find has since been nicknamed ‘Ata’.
The skeleton, found with a conical-shaped skull had only 10 ribs. It was spotted by a treasure hunter named Oscar Muño in an abandoned church in a deserted mining town called La Noria, according to reports.
The skeleton was reportedly so small that it was stashed in a leather pouch, which was wrapped in a white cloth and tied with a ribbon.
Now, after almost eighteen years, the mystery of the unusual remains has been solved by scientists.
After spending almost two decades trying to figure out the alien-like features of the skeleton – angular skull, 10 ribs instead of the normal 12, and slanted eye sockets – scientists finally understand the remains.
Eight percent of the DNA of the skeleton was found not to be human, which fed the extra-terrestrial theory.
The Castrated skeleton
The skeleton of Gaspare Pacchierotti, a famous 19th-century male mezzo-soprano, was exhumed so that researchers could study the effects that castration had on his body. But their analysis found that the physical act of being a professional opera singer also resulted in changes to Pacchierotti’s skeleton.
Historical information about the man’s early life is spotty, but he was born in 1740 and castrated before he was 12 years old, to preserve his young male voice. From his debut at 19 to his retirement at 53, Pacchierotti was one of the most well-known and sought-after opera singers of the time.
The skeleton of a female ‘vampire’ unearthed in Europe during the dig
The skeletal remains of what may have been a female “vampire” were found in a 17th-century Polish graveyard — with a sickle across its neck to prevent the woman from rising from the dead.
“The sickle was not laid flat but placed on the neck in such a way that if the deceased had tried to get up, most likely the head would have been cut off or injured,” Poliński told the Daily Mail.
The remains, discovered in the village of Pień near Ostromecko, Poland, appear to be of a young woman buried in the 17th century, according to a press release seen by Insider. Traces of a silk cap on her head suggested she was from a higher social status, per the Daily Mail.
A triangular padlock was placed around the big toe on her left foot, an indicator that the people who buried the woman were concerned that she may rise from the grave, perhaps because they thought she was a vampire.
The skeleton anatomy of the centaur of Volos
The centaur of Volos is a mythical creature from Greek mythology that has the upper body of a human and the lower body of a horse. As a mythical creature, it has never been observed in reality and there is no scientific basis for its anatomy. However, in art and literature, the centaur is often depicted with a humanoid ribcage and a horse’s spine and pelvis, with the ribcage and pelvis fused together to create a transitional structure between the two body types.
The centaur would have a total of four limbs, with the front two limbs being human-like arms and the back two limbs being horse-like legs. The anatomy of the centaur of Volos is open to interpretation, as different depictions of the creature may vary based on cultural and artistic influences.
‘sᴇx ᴄʀᴀᴢᴇᴅ’ ɴᴜɴ ᴅᴜɢ ᴜᴘ ʙʏ ᴀʀᴄʜᴀᴇᴏʟᴏɢɪsᴛs – sᴋᴇʟᴇᴛᴏɴ ᴏғ sʜᴀᴍᴇᴅ ᴡᴏᴍᴀɴ ғᴏᴜɴᴅ ʙᴜʀɪᴇᴅ ғᴀᴄᴇ ᴅᴏᴡn
The skeleton of a ‘sex-crazed’ nun has been unearthed at an excavation site near Oxford.
The remains of the woman were found lying face-down – a common punishment for nuns thought to be engaged in immoral behavior.
Archaeologists uncovered around 100 skeletons at the dig site near Oxford United football stadium. They reckon the skeletons are between 600 and 900 years old.
“We knew the church was there and we knew we would find something, but the number of burials was a real surprise,” said archaeologist Paul Murray who is leading the dig.
The site sits next to the closed Priory pub, which is built on the remains of the Littlemore Priory nunnery which was founded in 1110.
According to historians, the nunnery was closed down int he 1500s due to the immoral nature of the nun’s activities.
ʙᴇɪɴɢ ʙᴜʀɪᴇᴅ ғᴀᴄᴇ ᴅᴏᴡɴ – ᴀ sᴏ-ᴄᴀʟʟᴇᴅ ‘ᴘʀᴏɴᴇ ʙᴜʀɪᴀʟ’ – ᴡᴀs ʀᴇsᴇʀᴠᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ sɪɴɴᴇʀs ᴀɴᴅ ᴡɪᴛᴄʜᴇs.
They would often be buried some distance away from the church. However, the team found this particular skeleton close to the remains of the nunnery which supports the idea that it was one of the nuns themselves.
The Mystery of Bizarre Elongated Skulls Found in Germany
There is no scientific evidence to suggest that there are bizarrely elongated skulls found in Germany. While there are instances of intentional cranial deformation found in some cultures throughout history, particularly in South America and Africa, there is no evidence of such practices in Germany. Additionally, the idea of a “bizarre elongated skull” has often been used in conspiracy theories and pseudoscientific claims related to ancient aliens and other unproven phenomena. It’s important to approach such claims with skepticism and to rely on scientifically supported evidence when examining the history and culture of any region.
A Medieval Skeleton Has Been Found Hanging From The Roots of a Tree in Ireland
A 1,000-year-old skeleton was discovered dangling from the roots of a beech tree in the Irish town of Collooney, after a strong storm ripped the 200-year-old tree from the ground earlier this year.
The remains belonged to a young man, and markings on the skeleton suggest that he died a violent death inflicted by a sharp blade. But it’s not year clear whether this was a battle wound or something more sinister.
The skeleton itself was revealed in what we can only imagine was a pretty gruelling manner – with the top half of the skeleton raised into the air tangled up in the trees roots, while the bottom half remained in the ground.
A preliminary analysis of the remains suggests that the man was aged between 17 and 25 when he died, and his bones contained injuries inflicted by a sharp blade.
“The body was subsequently buried in a shallow east-west oriented grave and radiocarbon analysis indicates that this occurred sometime between 1030 and 1200 AD,” reports Irish Archaeology.
Researchers are now continuing to study the surrounding site to work out whether the body was hidden under the tree – which could suggest murder – or whether it was part of a standard burial site.
“No other burials are known from the area but historical records do indicate a possible graveyard and church in the vicinity,” said archaeologist Marion Dowd from the Institute of Technology Sligo in Ireland.
Hundreds of skeletons fill this remote Himalayan lake
High in the Indian Himalayas, a four-to-five-day trek from the nearest village, sits an unassuming glacial lake called Roopkund. The spot is beautiful, a dollop of jewel-toned water amid rough gravel and scree, but hardly out of the ordinary for the rugged landscape — except for the hundreds of human bones scattered within and around the lake.
These bones, belonging to between 300 and 800 people, have been a mystery since a forest ranger first reported them to the broader world in 1942. Lately, though, the mystery has only deepened. In 2019, a new genetic analysis of the ancient DNA in the bones, detailed in the journal Nature Communications(opens in new tab), found that at least 14 of the people who died at the lake probably weren’t from South Asia. Instead, their genes match those of modern-day people of the eastern Mediterranean.
ʜᴇᴀᴅʟᴇss ʀᴏᴍᴀɴ ɢʟᴀᴅɪᴀᴛᴏʀ sᴋᴇʟᴇᴛᴏɴs
ᴅɴᴀ ғʀᴏᴍ sᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴅᴇᴄᴀᴘɪᴛᴀᴛᴇᴅ sᴋᴇʟᴇᴛᴏɴs ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ɢʟᴀᴅɪᴀᴛᴏʀs ɪs ʜᴇʟᴘɪɴɢ ʀᴇsᴇᴀʀᴄʜᴇʀs ᴜɴʀᴀᴠᴇʟ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴜᴇsᴏᴍᴇ ᴏʀɪɢɪɴs ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɴᴄɪᴇɴᴛ ʀᴇᴍᴀɪɴs. ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇᴡ ғɪɴᴅɪɴɢs sᴜɢɢᴇsᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴ ᴇᴍᴘɪʀᴇ’s ɢᴇɴᴇᴛɪᴄ ɪᴍᴘᴀᴄᴛ ᴏɴ ʙʀɪᴛᴀɪɴ ᴍᴀʏ ɴᴏᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴀs ʟᴀʀɢᴇ ᴀs ʀᴇsᴇᴀʀᴄʜᴇʀs ʜᴀᴅ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ.
ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇᴀᴅʟᴇss sᴋᴇʟᴇᴛᴏɴs ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴇxᴄᴀᴠᴀᴛᴇᴅ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ 𝟸𝟶𝟶𝟺 ᴀɴᴅ 𝟸𝟶𝟶𝟻 ғʀᴏᴍ ᴀ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴ ʙᴜʀɪᴀʟ sɪᴛᴇ ɪɴ ᴅʀɪғғɪᴇʟᴅ ᴛᴇʀʀᴀᴄᴇ ɪɴ ʏᴏʀᴋ, ᴇɴɢʟᴀɴᴅ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʀᴄʜᴀᴇᴏʟᴏɢɪsᴛs sᴀɪᴅ. ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴅɪᴇs ᴡᴇʀᴇ ʙᴜʀɪᴇᴅ, ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ғᴏᴜʀᴛʜ ᴄᴇɴᴛᴜʀɪᴇs ᴀ.ᴅ., ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʀᴇᴀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ’s ɴᴏᴡ ʏᴏʀᴋ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴ ᴇᴍᴘɪʀᴇ’s ᴄᴀᴘɪᴛᴀʟ ᴏғ ɴᴏʀᴛʜᴇʀɴ ʙʀɪᴛᴀɪɴ, ᴄᴀʟʟᴇᴅ ᴇʙᴏʀᴀᴄᴜᴍ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴇᴍᴇᴛᴇʀʏ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴅɪᴇs ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴅɪsᴄᴏᴠᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴡᴀs ʟᴏᴄᴀᴛᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪɴᴇɴᴛ ᴀʀᴇᴀ, ɴᴇᴀʀ ᴀ ᴍᴀɪɴ ʀᴏᴀᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʟᴇᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄɪᴛʏ, ᴀᴄᴄᴏʀᴅɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇsᴇᴀʀᴄʜᴇʀs.
The ‘Screaming mummy’
ᴀɴ ᴇɢʏᴘᴛɪᴀɴ ᴡᴏᴍᴀɴ ᴡʜᴏ ᴡᴀs ᴍᴜᴍᴍɪғɪᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜᴇʀ ᴍᴏᴜᴛʜ ᴡɪᴅᴇ ᴏᴘᴇɴ ᴍᴀʏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴅɪᴇᴅ ᴏғ ᴀ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ ᴀᴛᴛᴀᴄᴋ.
The mummy was discovered in 1881 at Deir el-Bahari, a tomb complex near the city of Luxor.
The name “Meritamun” was written on her wrappings but archaeologists still aren’t sure who she was as there were several princesses with that name in Ancient Egypt.
Meritamun was short (just under 5 feet tall) and her teeth were full of cavities, with some molars having rotted down to stumps.
ᴀ ʀᴇᴄᴇɴᴛ ᴄᴛ sᴄᴀɴ ᴏғ ʜᴇʀ ᴄᴏʀᴘsᴇ ʜᴀs ғᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴡɪᴅᴇsᴘʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴀᴛʜᴇʀᴏsᴄʟᴇʀᴏsɪs — ᴅᴇᴘᴏsɪᴛs ᴏғ ғᴀᴛᴛʏ ᴘʟᴀǫᴜᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ᴠᴇssᴇʟs.
ᴛʜɪs ɴᴇᴡ ᴅɪsᴄᴏᴠᴇʀʏ ʜᴀs ʟᴇᴅ ᴇɢʏᴘᴛᴏʟᴏɢɪsᴛs ᴛᴏ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ sʜᴇ ᴍᴀʏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴅɪᴇᴅ ᴏғ ᴀ ᴍᴀssɪᴠᴇ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ ᴀᴛᴛᴀᴄᴋ sᴏᴍᴇᴛɪᴍᴇ ɪɴ ʜᴇʀ 𝟻𝟶s.
The 70,000-year-old skeleton could reveal Neanderthal death rites
A 70,000-year-old skeleton found Iraq has reopened the decades-long debate as to whether the ancient humans were culturally sophisticated enough to perform death rituals.
The remains of the Neanderthal, consisting of a crushed but complete skull, upper thorax and both hands, were recently unearthed at the Shanidar Cave site 500 miles north of Baghdad.
Although its gender is yet to be determined, early analysis suggests the skeleton, named Shanidar Z, is more than 70,000 years old.
It also has the teeth of a “middle-to older-aged adult”.
The cave has also been home to remains of 10 other Neanderthal people excavated around 60 years ago.
A Skeleton 4,000 Years Old Bears Evidence of Leprosy
A 4,000-year-old skeleton found in India bears the earliest archaeological evidence of leprosy, a new study reports.
The finding, detailed in the May 27 issue of the online journal PLoS ONE, is also the first evidence for the disease in prehistoric India and sheds light on how the disease might have been spread in early human history.
Though it is no longer a significant public health threat in most parts of the world, leprosy is still one of the least understood infectious diseases, in part because the bacteria that causes it (Mycobacterium leprae) is difficult to culture for research and has only one other animal host, the nine banded armadillo.
Leprosy, aka Hansen’s disease, is characterized by skin lesions. It does not cause one’s limbs to fall off. And it is not very contagious. It is transmitted through prolonged close contact with droplets from the nose and mouth of those already infected.
While leprosy is curable now, there was no treatment for the disease for most of human history and lepers were often ostracized by their communities.
Studies of the bacteria’s genes, detailed in a 2005 issue of the journal Science, have suggested two possible origins of the disease: One posits the disease may have originated in Africa during the Late Pleistocene and later spread out of Africa sometime after 40,000 years ago, when human population densities were small; the other suggests a Late Holocene migration of the disease out of India after the development of large urban centers
Historical sources support an initial spread of the disease from Asia to Europe with Alexander the Great’s army after 400 B.C. The earliest written reference to the disease is thought to be in the Atharva Veda, a sacred Hindu text composed before the first millennium B.C. The text is a set of Sanskrit hymns devoted to describing health problems, their causes and treatments available in ancient India.
But skeletal evidence for the disease was previously limited to the time period of 300 to 400 B.C. in Egypt and Thailand.
Toothy Tumor Found in 1,600-Year-Old Roman Corpse
ɪɴ ᴀ ɴᴇᴄʀᴏᴘᴏʟɪs ɪɴ sᴘᴀɪɴ, ᴀʀᴄʜᴀᴇᴏʟᴏɢɪsᴛs ʜᴀᴠᴇ ғᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴍᴀɪɴs ᴏғ ᴀ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴ ᴡᴏᴍᴀɴ ᴡʜᴏ ᴅɪᴇᴅ ɪɴ ʜᴇʀ 𝟹𝟶s ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴄᴀʟᴄɪғɪᴇᴅ ᴛᴜᴍᴏʀ ɪɴ ʜᴇʀ ᴘᴇʟᴠɪs, ᴀ ʙᴏɴᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ғᴏᴜʀ ᴅᴇғᴏʀᴍᴇᴅ ᴛᴇᴇᴛʜ ᴇᴍʙᴇᴅᴅᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜɪɴ ɪᴛ.
ᴛᴡᴏ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴇᴇᴛʜ ᴀʀᴇ sᴛɪʟʟ ᴀᴛᴛᴀᴄʜᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴀʟʟ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴜᴍᴏʀ ʀᴇsᴇᴀʀᴄʜᴇʀs sᴀʏ.
ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏᴍᴀɴ, ᴡʜᴏ ᴅɪᴇᴅ sᴏᴍᴇ 𝟷,𝟼𝟶𝟶 ʏᴇᴀʀs ᴀɢᴏ, ʜᴀᴅ ᴀ ᴄᴏɴᴅɪᴛɪᴏɴ ᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ᴛᴏᴅᴀʏ ᴀs ᴀɴ ᴏᴠᴀʀɪᴀɴ ᴛᴇʀᴀᴛᴏᴍᴀ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ, ᴀs ɪᴛs ɴᴀᴍᴇ ɪɴᴅɪᴄᴀᴛᴇs, ᴏᴄᴄᴜʀs ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴠᴀʀɪᴇs . ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴛᴇʀᴀᴛᴏᴍᴀ ᴄᴏᴍᴇs ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴇᴇᴋ ᴡᴏʀᴅs “ᴛᴇʀᴀs” ᴀɴᴅ “ᴏɴᴋᴏᴍᴀ” ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴛʀᴀɴsʟᴀᴛᴇ ᴛᴏ “ᴍᴏɴsᴛᴇʀ” ᴀɴᴅ “sᴡᴇʟʟɪɴɢ,” ʀᴇsᴘᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇʟʏ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴜᴍᴏʀ ɪs ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ 𝟷.𝟽 ɪɴᴄʜᴇs (𝟺𝟺 ᴍɪʟʟɪᴍᴇᴛᴇʀs) ɪɴ ᴅɪᴀᴍᴇᴛᴇʀ ᴀᴛ ɪᴛs ʟᴀʀɢᴇsᴛ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛ.
“ᴏᴠᴀʀɪᴀɴ ᴛᴇʀᴀᴛᴏᴍᴀs ᴀʀᴇ ʙɪᴢᴀʀʀᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ʙᴇɴɪɢɴ ᴛᴜᴍᴏʀs,” ᴡʀɪᴛᴇs ʟᴇᴀᴅ ʀᴇsᴇᴀʀᴄʜᴇʀ ɴúʀɪᴀ ᴀʀᴍᴇɴᴛᴀɴᴏ, ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɴᴛʀᴏᴘÒʟᴇɢs.ʟᴀʙ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀɴʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀsɪᴛᴀᴛ ᴀᴜᴛòɴᴏᴍᴀ ᴅᴇ ʙᴀʀᴄᴇʟᴏɴᴀ, ɪɴ ᴀɴ ᴇᴍᴀɪʟ ᴛᴏ ʟɪᴠᴇsᴄɪᴇɴᴄᴇ.
ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴜᴍᴏʀs ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ғʀᴏᴍ ɢᴇʀᴍ ᴄᴇʟʟs, ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ғᴏʀᴍ ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ ᴇɢɢs ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴀɴ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛᴇ ʜᴀɪʀ, ᴛᴇᴇᴛʜ ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴏɴᴇ, ᴀᴍᴏɴɢ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ sᴛʀᴜᴄᴛᴜʀᴇs. [sᴇᴇ ɪᴍᴀɢᴇs ᴏғ ʙɪᴢᴀʀʀᴇ ᴛᴜᴍᴏʀ & ʀᴇᴍᴀɪɴs]
ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴛʜᴇ ғɪʀsᴛ ᴛɪᴍᴇ sᴄɪᴇɴᴛɪsᴛs ʜᴀᴠᴇ ғᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴛʜɪs ᴛʏᴘᴇ ᴏғ ᴛᴇʀᴀᴛᴏᴍᴀ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɴᴄɪᴇɴᴛ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ.
“[ᴛ]ʜɪs ɪs ᴀɴ ᴇxᴛʀᴀᴏʀᴅɪɴᴀʀʏ ᴄᴀsᴇ, ɴᴏᴛ ᴏɴʟʏ ғᴏʀ ɪᴛs ᴀɴᴛɪǫᴜɪᴛʏ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴀʟsᴏ ɪᴛs ɪᴅᴇɴᴛɪғɪᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʀᴄʜᴇᴏʟᴏɢɪᴄᴀʟ ʀᴇᴄᴏʀᴅ,” ᴡʀɪᴛᴇs ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇsᴇᴀʀᴄʜ ᴛᴇᴀᴍ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴘᴀᴘᴇʀ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ʀᴇᴄᴇɴᴛʟʏ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴᴛᴇʀɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴊᴏᴜʀɴᴀʟ ᴏғ ᴘᴀʟᴇᴏᴘᴀᴛʜᴏʟᴏɢʏ.
ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏᴍᴀɴ ʟɪᴠᴇᴅ ᴀᴛ ᴀ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴏғ ᴅᴇᴄʟɪɴᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴ ᴇᴍᴘɪʀᴇ, ᴡɪᴛʜ ɴᴇᴡ ɢʀᴏᴜᴘs (ᴘᴏᴘᴜʟᴀʀʟʏ ᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇ “ʙᴀʀʙᴀʀɪᴀɴs”) ᴍᴏᴠɪɴɢ ɪɴᴛᴏ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴ ᴛᴇʀʀɪᴛᴏʀʏ, ᴇᴠᴇɴᴛᴜᴀʟʟʏ ᴛᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴏᴠᴇʀ sᴘᴀɪɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴀʀᴇᴀs.
The mystery of a mummified lung
In 1959 a preserved lung was found by archaeologist Michel Fleury in a stone sarcophagus in the Basilica of St. Denis, in Paris. At this site the kings of France were buried for centuries. Along with the lung skeletal remains, a strand of hair, textile and leather fragments, as well as a golden ring with the inscription “Arnegundis Regine”, were found. Among the grave goods, an elaborate copper belt was also discovered.
The inscription on the golden ring showed the remains belonged to the Merovigian Queen Arnegunde. Arnegunde, Aregunda, Aregund, Aregonda or Arnegonda (c. 515/520-580) was a Frankish queen, the wife of Clotaire I, king of the Franks, and the mother of Chilperic I of Neustria.
The discovery of the preserved lung raised the question of how it could be preserved while the body was completely skeletonized.
Raffaella Bianucci, bio-anthropologist in the Legal Medicine Section at the University of Turin, led the international team which investigated the lung. The results of this research were presented at the International Conference of Comparative Mummy Studies in Hildesheim, Germany.
As Bianucci explained, scanning electron microscopy on the lung biopsies showed a massive concentration of copper ion on the surface of the lung tissue. Further analysis revealed the presence of benzoic acid and related compounds in the lung.
“These substances are widespread in the plant kingdom and similar profiles have been already reported in the balms of Egyptian mummified bodies,” Bianucci said.
Based on these findings, researchers believe that a fluid of spices/aromatic plants may have been infused into the queen’s mouth. These substances then settled in Arnegunde’s lung allowing its preservation. Copper, which also has preserving properties, from her belt also contributed to the organ’s preservation.
According to Discovery News, in sixth century France, spices and aromatic plants were used in artificial mummification of kings, queens, holy men and women. The Merovingians had adopted the procedure from the Romans, who, in turn, had learned it from the Egyptians.
“Clearly the Merovingian mummification was much less sophisticated,” Bianucci said. “It was essentially based on the use of oil and resin-soaked linen strips used with spices and aromatic plants such as thyme, nettles, myrrh and aloe,” Bianucci said.
Shackled skeleton tells the grim story of slavery in Roman Britain
In 2019, an archaeological discovery was made in a Roman cemetery in Cambridgeshire, England, where a shackled skeleton was found. This find shed light on the grim story of slavery in Roman Britain. The skeleton belonged to a young man who was likely of North African descent and was buried around 200 AD. He was buried in a shallow grave, and his ankles were bound by iron shackles.
This discovery provided evidence of the existence of slavery in Roman Britain, a topic that had been debated among historians for decades. It’s believed that the young man was likely a slave who was brought over to Britain from North Africa, which was a common practice at the time. The shackles indicate that he may have been forced to work on a farm or in a mine, where slaves were often used for manual labor.
The discovery of this shackled skeleton is a somber reminder of the harsh realities of slavery in the Roman Empire, and the impact it had on the lives of countless individuals. It’s also a testament to the important role that archaeology plays in uncovering and understanding the past, and the stories that can be told through the study of the material remains of past civilizations.
