Y’all know that I’ve been following the story of the
discovery, recovery and subsequent enshrinement of the
remains of Richard III as the focal point of a tourist attraction in
Leceister, England.
Well, a while ago PBS showed a docu on the process that
scientists followed to authenticate Richard’s bones, which I found fascinating.
I mean—I don’t’ very often actually sit and watch something on TV, but this one
had me riveted.
In particular, I was interested in how they found someone
who had scoliosis (the condition which evidently gave Richard the hunchback
appearance) and essentially tested him to verify whether a sufferer could wear
plate armor and fight on horseback.
First of all—how is it that someone refuses treatment for
a treatable condition? But whoo-hoo, what an amazing validation of how Richard
might have lived.
Watch it. Really.
2 comments:
I have scoliosis. Just because you have treatment doesn't mean that you're straightened out. I still have a very severe curve to my spine in spite of several operations. I was delighted when they found Richard and proved that he actually had scoliosis. There used to be a theory that it was a rumour put about by later monarchs to make him appear in a bad light. 'Crooked' and so forth. But he was a real hunchback. Just like me!
What was very interesting to me was that, by using the modern-day sufferer, the researchers were able to prove that an average-sized guy with scoliosis COULD have ridden a horse in battle, led troops & all that. I don't like to think of the physical cost for Richard, but his disability did not prevent him from discharging his duties. As for the Tudor chroniclers, I'd expect them to exaggerate the physical anomalies and imply they were divine representations of the blackness of Richard's soul.
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