The Eternal Embrace

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Unless the arrows were actually embedded in the bone (and thus indicating the person was shot and lived through it and then died later... much later...), then you can't say they actually were involved in the death in any way. Things found "inside" a skeleton (including soil ) often come from being laid on top of a body.. and there is no way to tell teh difference.

Well I didn't say they "actually were involved in the death." I was quoting the article's interview with the lead archaeologist, which mentions the arrow points, and what she hypothesized from that.

In another interview, she certainly acknowledges the difficulty in being sure:

Establishing the cause of death could prove almost impossible, unless they were killed by a debilitating disease, a knife or something else that might have left marks on the bones, Menotti said.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17011786/

She's been talking up the find quite a bit in the media -- of course I'm sure she is very proud of it and wants to give it a lot of publicity.

Here are some other things she's said:

"As far as we know, it's unique," Menotti told The Associated Press by telephone from Milan. "Double burials from the Neolithic are unheard of, and these are even hugging."

Menotti said the burial was "a ritual, but we have to find out what it means."

Here, she seem to be drawing some very hasty conclusions:

Experts might never determine the exact nature of the pair's relationship, but Menotti said she had little doubt it was born of a deep sentiment.

"It was a very emotional discovery," she said. "From thousands of years ago we feel the strength of this love. Yes, we must call it love."

Not sure how she can surmise that. But it sure makes for good copy !

Still a fascinating find....

-MK

[Nasturtium 500]

In another interview, she certainly acknowledges the difficulty in being sure:

Establishing the cause of death could prove almost impossible, unless they were killed by a debilitating disease, a knife or something else that might have left marks on the bones, Menotti said.

I agree with you-- I think she's drawing hasty conclusions and IMO she's loving the media attention Partly it's probably also due to funding-- more attention, more funding! And most of these things never make it very far because there is no funding. I am SURE that this point she's managed to collect carbon dating money and such! WHich most people never have.

I do disagree with her above because she is acknowledging the idea that you CAN be sure ever, and you can't! You cannot tell what killed someone skeletal. Ever. They may have cut marks, and you can say maybe they were stabbed, etc.. but you have no actual idea if they were stabbed and died from that or if they were stabbed post mortem (think about old-style war and how poeple were trampled in teh fields after they had fallen, sometimes hacked after dead, etc.. it's not a guarantee )

But you're right-- it's cool! And actually? I think it's better than some of the other current news! LOL!

[~kiyah~ 14]

I found this very facinating. Over the past couple of days I have been thinking about this and wonder how they will handle removing them from the ground. I sure would hate for them to be disturbed and separated in the process. I know that archaeologists know what they're doing, but it just seems wrong to disturb them after so long.

~Kiyah~

[Nasturtium 500]

I found this very facinating. Over the past couple of days I have been thinking about this and wonder how they will handle removing them from the ground. I sure would hate for them to be disturbed and separated in the process. I know that archaeologists know what they're doing, but it just seems wrong to disturb them after so long.

~Kiyah~

They'll just bag each bone individually and write the site name, number, year, bone, and skeleton number on it.. and then the comingled remains (if there are any) will be sorted out as best as possible. Then there is usually a bag(s) of fragments which get weighed.. and then it just depends on teh rules of the place. Likely they will never be interred again and yes, will be forever seperated.

If they are being excavated, the likelyhood is somehting is happening with that piece of land. We don't excavate all willy nilly like people think, it's associated with either construction of roads/walmarts (major one all over the world)/stores/housing/etc or destruction because opf looting or natural disaster.