Last week, I posted a bit on the skull alleged to belong to Mozart. Scientists were going to announce on Sunday whether the skull, which had been kept at the International Mozarteum Foundation since 1902, belonged to Mozart. The announcement was to coincide with the composer's 250th birthday.
Today, they are no closer to knowing if the skull is his. In fact, the mystery is deepening.
To test the DNA, scientists were using samples from the skull, and comparing them to samples from skeletons exhumed from the Mozart family plot. The skeletons belonged to Mozart's grandmother and niece.
It turns out that none of the skeltons match, so not only do they not know if the skull belonged to Mozart, they are no longer sure who's buried in his family plot, either.
What causes this? Was it bad record-keeping? Or does it point to some grand conspiracy involving a black metal band that has been collecting the remains of famous composers in order to create an unholy orchestra of the undead? Only time will tell.
Until then, shhhhhhh... the maestro is decomposing.
Link to story
2 comments:
Maybe there never WAS a Mozart.
That would make me feel much better about the child prodigy thing. He always made me feel inadequate...operas at ten...or whatever.
Or maybe he had an immaculate conception.
Would that screw up the DNA tests?
Snickered and snorted at your pun, Mr. Rat. However, I wonder: are there any rules about exhuming corpses? How much paperwork is involved, and who pays for all that testing?
Do we care that much whose skull is in which museum?
What's to be gained?
I have never been gladder about my own mediocrity. My corpse is safe!
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