Skip to comments.
Medieval Abbot's Grave Uncovered
New Liturgical Movement ^
| April 19, 2012
| SHAWN TRIBE
Posted on 04/20/2012 2:08:28 PM PDT by NYer
Extraordinary discovery of 12th century abbot's grave
For something like seven centuries he had lain undisturbed.
He – or at least his remains – survived Henry VIII’s destruction of his abbey in 1537, eluded the grave-robbers that followed, and avoided discovery by Victorian archaeologists.
Even deep excavations and the underpinning of the crumbling building in the 1930s failed to unearth him.
But the abbot who headed Britain’s second richest and most powerful Cistercian monastery may soon be unmasked...
[...]
The skeleton of a portly figure was discovered almost by fluke when emergency repairs had to be made to the abbey at Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.
Cracks had appeared in the ‘mouldered walls’ that featured in Wordsworth’s ‘At Furness Abbey’ verse from his 1805 Prelude, and in some of JWM Turner’s etchings.
They were caused by medieval wooden foundations rotting away. Archaeologists and structural engineers called in to examine them dug down and found an undisturbed, unmarked and unknown grave.
Its significance was immediately apparent. Whoever was buried here had been placed in the presbytery – the most prestigious position in the abbey, usually reserved for those held in greatest esteem.
With the remains were rare medieval jewellery and a silver and gilt crozier, a senior abbot’s staff of office.
[...]
Although he could have died as early as the 1150s, English Heritage curator Susan Harrison believes the grave more likely dates from the 1350s to early 1500s.
‘This is a very significant discovery,’ she said. ‘There has been no comparative grave found for the last 50 years in British archaeology.’
The head of the crozier, an ornamental staff carried by high-ranking members of the church, is gilded copper decorated with silver medallions that show the archangel Michael slaying a dragon.
The crook end is decorated with a serpent’s head. A small section of the wooden staff survives – as does part of the cloth the abbot held to prevent his hand tarnishing the crozier.
The ring he wore is gilded silver set with a gemstone of white rock crystal or white sapphire. It is possible that a hollow behind the stone contains a relic – perhaps what the monastery believed to be part of the body of a saint.
Read more: Daily Mail
TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events; History
KEYWORDS: abbot; archaeology; godsgravesglyphs; uk; wherescostello
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-25 next last
1
posted on
04/20/2012 2:08:33 PM PDT
by
NYer
To: netmilsmom; thefrankbaum; Tax-chick; GregB; saradippity; Berlin_Freeper; Litany; SumProVita; ...
The skeleton of a portly figure Anyone want to conjecture on how they know this.
2
posted on
04/20/2012 2:09:38 PM PDT
by
NYer
(He who hides in his heart the remembrance of wrongs is like a man who feeds a snake on his chest. St)
To: NYer
3
posted on
04/20/2012 2:15:27 PM PDT
by
Mamzelle
To: NYer
4
posted on
04/20/2012 2:17:42 PM PDT
by
Mamzelle
To: NYer
Heeeeeeey Abbot!
I wonder if he can tell me who’s on first?
5
posted on
04/20/2012 2:20:19 PM PDT
by
VanDeKoik
(If case you are wondering, I'm supporting Newt.)
To: NYer
Anyone know how long you have to be in the ground before grave robbing becomes science? Anthropologists love to dig up dead people and steal all their stuff.
6
posted on
04/20/2012 2:21:17 PM PDT
by
Owl558
("Those who remember George Satayana are doomed to repeat him")
To: SunkenCiv
Of possible interest to your list.
7
posted on
04/20/2012 2:21:52 PM PDT
by
NYer
(He who hides in his heart the remembrance of wrongs is like a man who feeds a snake on his chest. St)
To: Mamzelle
8
posted on
04/20/2012 2:25:21 PM PDT
by
BerryDingle
(I know how to deal with communists, I still wear their scars on my back from Hollywood-Ronald Reagan)
To: NYer
9
posted on
04/20/2012 2:26:28 PM PDT
by
Joe 6-pack
(Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
To: Owl558
I would like to know how long one has to be in the ground before one of his/her bones or other stuff become altar relics in the Catholic Church.
10
posted on
04/20/2012 2:27:57 PM PDT
by
smvoice
(Better Buck up, Buttercup. The wailing and gnashing are for an eternity..)
To: NYer
LOL how they could tell by a skelton was also my first thought....Watched Bones too much I guess...love that show..
To: Owl558
Its all in the name.....Anthropologist are scientist, so its legal for them. good observations you got there...:O)
To: Owl558
You read my mind. I was going to ask what the over under was on being uncovered, or dug up.
13
posted on
04/20/2012 2:35:16 PM PDT
by
Vermont Lt
(I just don't like anything about the President. And I don't think he's a nice guy.)
To: SunkenCiv
A ping for the GGG list mssr.
14
posted on
04/20/2012 2:36:35 PM PDT
by
texanred
To: goat granny
That’s the only reason to watch tv. Lol
15
posted on
04/20/2012 2:38:25 PM PDT
by
absolootezer0
(2x divorced tattooed pierced harley hatin meghan mccain luvin' REAL beer drinkin' smoker ..what?)
To: Owl558
Exactly. They should have some respect for the dead. He’s a dead abbot who was resting in peace. That’s all we need to know.
16
posted on
04/20/2012 2:45:50 PM PDT
by
Opinionated Blowhard
("When the people find they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.")
To: NYer
“Anyone want to conjecture on how they know this. “
I believe curvature of the spine was mentioned yesterday.
To: NYer
I’ve got to learn to read more. Here’s what the article said about the Abbot being fat:
The curvature of the spine suggests he was obese and perhaps suffering from type-2 diabetes.
That is possibly confirmed by the position of his arms, which lie flanked around his girth rather than crossed over his chest.
18
posted on
04/20/2012 3:14:54 PM PDT
by
Owl558
("Those who remember George Satayana are doomed to repeat him")
To: NYer; texanred
19
posted on
04/20/2012 3:17:00 PM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
(FReepathon 2Q time -- https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
To: NYer
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-25 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson