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| Dr. Michael C. Scott |
I finally managed to catch-up on my prescribed Ancient
History viewing last week. The Mystery of Rome’s X Tombs, presented by my
favourite Ancient Historian, Dr Michael Scott. youtube. In the programme the good
Doctor examines the current research being untaken by an international team of specialists,
on a large number of human remains found in the so-called X-Tombs in Roman. The
tombs came to light when flooding caused a collapse in some Roman catacombs. The
programme was directed by Dr Olding. He has posted lots of pictures from
the production on his website.
Once again, thanks to the
person who upload the programme to
I highly recommend the programme. In Scott's usual style he combines
education with wit and of course bag loads of charm. At one point he refers to parts
of the catacombs as “bunk beds for the dead”. He gives an understandable explanation
of carbon dating [link] especially for the non-scientists. Other favourite bits
include: his reference to the top of the Insulae [Ancient Roman Apartment
Blocks]as the Penthouse, and not one you would want to live in; and his
reference to all “the Poo”. Rome apparently produced about
50 000 kg of human
waste a day.
At the end, Michael
offers a hypothesis on about who these people might have been. So if you like a
good detective story, try and watch the programme. Oh yes, you will also learn
about DNA fishing.
Michael Scott has a new three part serious starting this
week about Ancient Drama called The Greatest Show on Earth . Still need
to catch up on Mary Beard’s documentary about the Roman Emperor Caligula.
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