Coffin From Civil War Uncovers Mystery

[beam me up scottie]

Coffin From Civil War Uncovers Mystery

By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID
The Associated Press
Thursday, August 4, 2005; 10:05 PM

WASHINGTON -- The rusty iron coffin stubbornly resisted hammer and chisel as researchers in a warm Smithsonian laboratory sought a glimpse of an American who lived more than a century and a half ago.
***********

"This is a person and we want to tell this person's story. She is our primary obligation," anthropologist Doug Owsley said as the lid was lifted to reveal a young body wrapped in a brown shroud.

The scientists hope to identify the remains so they can have a properly marked grave. In the process, they have a chance to learn about mortuary practices of the period, what disease and trauma people may have suffered, their diet, past environments, clothing and perhaps even social customs.

This photo provided by the Smithsonian shows anthropologist Kari Bruwelheide, right, and Doug Owsley, head of physical anthropology at the National Museum of Natural History, center, and others, examine the remains of an iron coffin, Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2005, at the museum in Washington. The rusty iron coffin stubbornly resisted hammer and chisel as researchers in a warm Smithsonian laboratory sought a glimpse of an American who lived more than a century and a half ago. Finally, the power of an electric drill freed the lid, the orange cord snaking incongruously around the pre-Civil War artifact. (AP Photo/Smithsonian) (AP)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/04/AR2005080401352.html

[roguevalley]

1. fascinating.thank you for the post.

[beam me up scottie]

2. What a sad, tiny little coffin.

At least now he'll get a proper burial.

[Boomer]

10. I was thinking just the opposite

"What a lovely, spare way to return to the earth."

Today's gargantuan fiberglass portable mausoleums are a waste of material and an offensive removal of humans from the cycle of life, death and regeneration from our remains.

I'd rather have a pine box myself.

[salvorhardin]

3. Wow. She's so tiny.

Thanks for posting this. Archaeology and anthropology have always fascinated me. Like so much knowledge that comes from science it is always so much more interesting than just making shit up.

Any fans of the British Channel 4 series Time Team here? For those who aren't familiar with it, the basic premise for each episode is that after choosing an interesting site an entire archaeological team is sent in, complete with surveyors, geophysicists, artists and artisans to try to prove or disprove in 3 days something about that episode's site. The artists are used to come up with sketches of what the site may have looked like during the time frame they are investigating and the artisans attempt to produce something that was found at the site in the same manner as the people who lived in that time period did it. They almost always get the locals involved in some fashion too.

http://www.channel4.com/history/timeteam

I couldn't wait for some kind anonymous soul to make each episode of Time Team's Big Roman Dig available last month.
http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/B/bigromandig/index.jsp

Why don't we get "reality" shows like this in the U.S.?

[OffWithTheirHeads]

4. How could you want real news

When "Jaccko" is on trial?

[salvorhardin]

8. Oh! Sorry.

Forgot what was really important for a minute there. :evilgrin:

[Digit]

5. Is this available via cable?

I would love to catch one of these shows.

[salvorhardin]

7. I don't know.

I don't think BBC America would carry it because Channel 4 is a commercial (not funded through the TV tax) operation. Ironically, Channel 4 is also the company that gave us Big Brother and many other moronic shows. I have noticed that while UK TV has as much pap (if not more) as the U.S., they also seem to have a higher number of completely fascinating and intellectually stimulating shows.

FWIW, I also whole heartedly recommend Jonathan Miller's excellent 3 part series A Rough History of Disbelief which examined the history of atheism.

[salvorhardin]

9. I said TV tax -- really meant to say

TV license fees. Not a tax.
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/index.jsp

[beam me up scottie]

6. I wonder if I can find

them on bit torrent.
I executed my tv months ago and get my fill of content from the web.
Bit torrent provides me with John Stewart, Spooks, old Muppet Shows- pretty much anything I want, if I can find it.

[enlightenment]

17. I love that show!

Just wish we could get it here. That is quality reality tv, IMO.

[GOPFighter]

11. I wish they would have given more information

like how and where in Washington the coffin was found. If that type of coffin was indicative of a wealthy family why wasn't the child buried in a cemetery? Was it a family plot? If so are they going to search for other graves and give them a decent burial?

I hope they discover who the child is. 13 is such a young age to die!

[Pepperbelly]

12. interesting article ...

Probably from the 1850s.

[beam me up scottie]

15. Because of the coffin?

Or the clothing?
I tried to find more info but nothing so far.

[Pepperbelly]

16. the coffin ...

that's such an unusual vessel that I can't see it much before or after its heyday.

[Spock_is_Skeptical]

13. that is intriguing... thanks for posting this

[beam me up scottie]

14. You're welcome.

I just wish I could have found more information.
I will keep an eye out for any results of the tests.
It's amazing how much they can learn from a 150 year old body.