Richard III and faith.
This whole Richard III thing has me thinking. I first read about the discovery of his bones back in September, when I was still living in the UK, and I thought it was one of the coolest things I'd hear in ages. The skeleton was found underneath a parking lot (way to act on a hunch, archaelogists!) and had head wounds matching the story that the King was killed with an axe or sword, and the skeleton's spine was curved in the same manner that King Richard III's was said to have been.
I think that's the key -- how he was said to have been. Lore. Legend. Story.
The recent news that DNA evidence actually proves that it is the King's bones is, of course, an amazing piece of history. But it also takes a lot of the fun out of the find.
I think, today anyway, that I prefer that legends and stories be the test.
I'm not a religious woman, so this tangent may be completely off base. But what if scientists announced that they had DNA evidence that there is a God. Wouldn't that kind of be disappointing? Did I just insult all of you? I bet Richard III wouldn't have minded a slight comparison to God.
Anyway, I supposed you could say I don't have faith in religion, but I do have faith in stories.
Also, it's fun to say Plantagenet. Plantagenet. Plantagenet. Plantagenet.
And, for the record, I think he should be re-interred in York Minster, not in Leicester. You can't play finders-keepers with bones! (Unless you're the British Museum.)
I think that's the key -- how he was said to have been. Lore. Legend. Story.
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| York Minster |
The recent news that DNA evidence actually proves that it is the King's bones is, of course, an amazing piece of history. But it also takes a lot of the fun out of the find.
I think, today anyway, that I prefer that legends and stories be the test.
I'm not a religious woman, so this tangent may be completely off base. But what if scientists announced that they had DNA evidence that there is a God. Wouldn't that kind of be disappointing? Did I just insult all of you? I bet Richard III wouldn't have minded a slight comparison to God.
Anyway, I supposed you could say I don't have faith in religion, but I do have faith in stories.
Also, it's fun to say Plantagenet. Plantagenet. Plantagenet. Plantagenet.
And, for the record, I think he should be re-interred in York Minster, not in Leicester. You can't play finders-keepers with bones! (Unless you're the British Museum.)
2 comments
I just watched the documentary on tv the other night about this, I found it really interesting- and the "R" that was painted on the parking space- that to me is still weird and unexplained! So random that they would find someone's remains, someone of great significance like this under the parking area
ReplyDeleteCompletely random and cool! I haven't seen the documentary, but will try to find it.
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