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Forum: General Forum
Moderated by : Andy B , TimPrevett , Klingon , sem , MickM , TheCaptain , bat400 , coldrum , davidmorgan , Runemage , SolarMegalith
Respond to: St Cuthbert
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rbatham
Joined:
04-04-2006
Messages: 679
from Western Australia
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|  New Message Posted!2006-11-27 13:36
Quote:
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On 2006-11-26 21:22, weasel1665 wrote:
After looking online I have found that an explanation for the preservation of the body may be attributed to the beeswax shroud that it was wrapped in.This is only one point of view though.
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I don't know about beeswax and a shroud being used,
Decomposition is due to bacteria and parasites within the body. The Egyptians removed the organs containing bacteria, used various oils and bandaged the whole body so air could not oxidise the body. nothing could get in or out.
Bishops were usually buried in their canonicles, not a shroud. I remember seeing a picture of Napolean' s coffin being opened and I think he was buried in his uniform. Arsenic is a strong disinfectant, used in herbicides,(or used to be). maybe even a small dose is sufficient to kill the bacteria, so slowing decoposition. Roy
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cropredy
Joined:
01-01-2006
Messages: 5539
from Oxon
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| New Message Posted!2006-11-26 22:17
Weasel 1665,
I believe this was to preserve the body in readiness for the resurrection, when they all will pop back up, I think they have to be placed facing east as well?
http://www.britarch.ac.uk/BA/ba84/feat2.shtml
Kevin
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weasel1665
Joined:
15-11-2006
Messages: 6
from Bicester
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| New Message Posted!2006-11-26 21:22
After looking online I have found that an explanation for the preservation of the body may be attributed to the beeswax shroud that it was wrapped in.This is only one point of view though.
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rbatham
Joined:
04-04-2006
Messages: 679
from Western Australia
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| New Message Posted!2006-11-26 01:17
Where's Kelpie? he should b able to find out where a post-mortem was done.  Roy
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rbatham
Joined:
04-04-2006
Messages: 679
from Western Australia
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| New Message Posted!2006-11-24 12:46
Quote:
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On 2006-11-24 12:15, mithra wrote:
Good one Roy!
Little bit more I've found out.....St. Cuthbert became a hermit and spent 10 years alone in a cell (or cave?) on the island known as 'Inner Farne' - and this is where he died.
This might explain why there doesn't seem to have been a huge suspect death rate on Lindisfarne, which might have been the case if the water (or something else) was tainted with arsenic.
There's a chapel, which was built to his memory on Inner Farne. Mithra
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Hi Mithra
I've found a lot more,
http://www.lindisfarne.org.uk/general/index.htm
The body was going to be re-buried on the 11th anniversary of his death. (don't know why) when it was found to be 'uncorrupted' Then again in 1022 the coffin was opened with same. Then again at the dissolution, still uncorrupted .In 1834 was again opened and a skeleton was found. In 1899 a post mortem was carried out. Now, where to find the results? Roy
PS wonder how Napolean is today?
[ This message was edited by: rbatham on 2006-11-24 12:58 ]
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mithra
Joined:
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Messages: 562
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| New Message Posted!2006-11-24 12:15
On 2006-11-24 01:26, rbatham wrote:
''Durham Cathedral was not built on an ancient site then. It is said that the coffin became immovable at that site. Wonder what 'C' would make of the gravity?
Probably the monks getting older and weaker said b--- it ,let,s leave him here.''
Good one Roy!
Little bit more I've found out.....St. Cuthbert became a hermit and spent 10 years alone in a cell (or cave?) on the island known as 'Inner Farne' - and this is where he died.
This might explain why there doesn't seem to have been a huge suspect death rate on Lindisfarne, which might have been the case if the water (or something else) was tainted with arsenic.
There's a chapel, which was built to his memory on Inner Farne. Mithra
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rbatham
Joined:
04-04-2006
Messages: 679
from Western Australia
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| New Message Posted!2006-11-24 01:26
Quote:
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On 2006-11-23 15:21, mithra wrote:
You might be on to something there Roy.
The Farne Islands, of which Lindisfarne (Or Holy Island) is one, are part of the Great Whin Sill which is a volcanic rock formation of Dolerite (similar to Basalt) - known as 'igneous' rocks. Arsenic is usually found in igneous rock (and hydrothermal veins)- therefore it's quite likely that arsenic was present on these islands. I can find no confirmation of this though.
As well as vegetable dyes they used mineral pigments for their writings etc. I'm pretty sure that most monks were into alchemy - even if it was just for obtaining pigments from rocks.
Arsenic is light grey metallic but quickly tarnishes to dark grey and smells like garlic when heated or struck.
Small point I've got Cuthberts death date as 687. He was born in Melrose 634 and entered the monastery there. His body was moved from Lindisfarne in 875 and eventually laid to rest in a loop of the River Wear - later Durham Cathedral was built on site. Mithra
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Thanks Mithra, local knowledge helps. If as you say, igneous rocks then I suspect the well that he dug on 'stony ground' contained arsenic.
Durham Cathedral was not built on an ancient site then. It is said that the coffin became immovable at that site. Wonder what 'C' would make of the gravity?
Probably the monks getting older and weaker said b--- it ,let,s leave him here.
Roy
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mithra
Joined:
27-06-2006
Messages: 562
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| New Message Posted!2006-11-23 15:21
On 2006-11-23 12:34, rbatham wrote:
''So did St Cuthbert die of the same? not wallpaper . He lived as a hermit for years, Did he practise alchemy ? Or was his miraculous 'spring' of underground water contaminated with arsenic?
Arsenic is found native, or with silver, lead and iron and in underground water, Not knowing the geology of the area I can't tell if there are such deposits there.''
You might be on to something there Roy.
The Farne Islands, of which Lindisfarne (Or Holy Island) is one, are part of the Great Whin Sill which is a volcanic rock formation of Dolerite (similar to Basalt) - known as 'igneous' rocks. Arsenic is usually found in igneous rock (and hydrothermal veins)- therefore it's quite likely that arsenic was present on these islands. I can find no confirmation of this though.
As well as vegetable dyes they used mineral pigments for their writings etc. I'm pretty sure that most monks were into alchemy - even if it was just for obtaining pigments from rocks.
Arsenic is light grey metallic but quickly tarnishes to dark grey and smells like garlic when heated or struck.
Small point I've got Cuthberts death date as 687. He was born in Melrose 634 and entered the monastery there. His body was moved from Lindisfarne in 875 and eventually laid to rest in a loop of the River Wear - later Durham Cathedral was built on site. Mithra
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rbatham
Joined:
04-04-2006
Messages: 679
from Western Australia
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| New Message Posted!2006-11-23 12:34
While reading Bede's histories I came across this infromation on St Cuthbert. He died about 685 AD on Lndisfarne. Because of the danes the monks decided to return to the mainland and decided to take his remains with them. On opening his coffin some 11yrs after death it was found that his body had not decayed, but appeared to be 'asleep'. This may be a monk's tale but there is a parallel story.
Napolean Bonaparte died 1821 on St Helena. 20yrs later in 1841 his remains were taken to Paris it was found that his body had not decayed. An investigation carried out a few years ago found that he could have died from arsenic poisoning. At first it was thought that his guards had slowly poisoned him ,but eventually it was traced to the green pigment used in the wallpaper of the house in which he lived.
So did St Cuthbert die of the same? not wallpaper . He lived as a hermit for years, Did he practise alchemy ? Or was his miraculous 'spring' of underground water contaminated with arsenic?
Arsenic is found native, or with silver, lead and iron and in underground water, Not knowing the geology of the area I can't tell if there are such deposits there.
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/bede-book1.html
see book V
Roy
[ This message was edited by: rbatham on 2006-11-23 12:45 ]
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