It's bizarre how certain elements have been retained as artistic curiosities against a bland white ground...
I did see History Cold Case. I didn't enjoy this one as much - the presentation kind of left me cold. It was the 'ooh! This is such a mystery! What we need is three cutting edge forensic experts to solve the problem for the poor confused archaeologists'. Then they spent 50 minutes preparing us for the horrible surprise that the unfortunate Jews of Norwich were being terrorised and butchered in the middle ages.
I guessed the scenario immediately: 1) urban excavation in core of city (therefore medieval); 2) mass burial in unconsecrated ground, combined with a large number of bodies, representing various sexes and ages, disposed of very informally (though contemptuously would be a better, though rather emotive, description)- sounds pretty much like an indescriminate massacre to me. And the only likely contenders at this time for mob wrath would have to be Jewish. Add similar contemporaneous events at York and Lincoln, and there you have it. You don't have to be a Professor or a world-renowned telly celebrity to work that one out!!
Unfortunately, it didn't shock or surprise me. It just left me feeling overwhelmingly depressed because similar things are still taking place today, and that almost a thousand years down the line, the human race still can't overcome its pathetic animal instincts and get along.
But as I bewailed and lamented over the appalling nature of humanity, J pointed out that the Norwich incident probably began with something as trivial and pathetic as someone's favourite clematis being cut down by their neighbour without their permission...
A sobering thought indeed, and one which we all ignore at our peril.
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I did see History Cold Case. I didn't enjoy this one as much - the presentation kind of left me cold. It was the 'ooh! This is such a mystery! What we need is three cutting edge forensic experts to solve the problem for the poor confused archaeologists'. Then they spent 50 minutes preparing us for the horrible surprise that the unfortunate Jews of Norwich were being terrorised and butchered in the middle ages.
I guessed the scenario immediately: 1) urban excavation in core of city (therefore medieval); 2) mass burial in unconsecrated ground, combined with a large number of bodies, representing various sexes and ages, disposed of very informally (though contemptuously would be a better, though rather emotive, description)- sounds pretty much like an indescriminate massacre to me. And the only likely contenders at this time for mob wrath would have to be Jewish. Add similar contemporaneous events at York and Lincoln, and there you have it. You don't have to be a Professor or a world-renowned telly celebrity to work that one out!!
Unfortunately, it didn't shock or surprise me. It just left me feeling overwhelmingly depressed because similar things are still taking place today, and that almost a thousand years down the line, the human race still can't overcome its pathetic animal instincts and get along.
But as I bewailed and lamented over the appalling nature of humanity, J pointed out that the Norwich incident probably began with something as trivial and pathetic as someone's favourite clematis being cut down by their neighbour without their permission...
A sobering thought indeed, and one which we all ignore at our peril.