Posted on 08/24/2014 10:48:27 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
Bone chemistry sheds light on the monarch's shifting diet throughout his brief life
Richard III was only 32 years old when he was struck down at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485. But according to new research, the King of England at least enjoyed some good eating throughout his lifeespecially in the few years leading up to his death.
Scientists from the British Geological Survey and the University of Leicester analyzed Richard III's teeth, his femur and his ribs to see what they could reveal about the monarch's diet, Phys.org reports. They used isotope analysis to identify chemical signatures that correspond with certain foods and geographic locations.
His ribwhich has the fastest renewal rate and therefore the most recent isotopic signatureshowed that he led a pretty fancy lifestyle in the two to five years preceding his death. First of all, he drank. Since historical records showed that Richard had stayed in one place at the end of his life, the researchers attributed a change in the oxygen isotypes in his bonesusually a sign of geographical relocationto drinking. They concluded, LiveScience writes, "that about a quarter of the oxygen deposited in Richard's bones came from wine."
And he ate well. After he became king, the scientists found, his diet changed significantly. Now he was eating freshwater fish and wild birds. If Richard III's banquets were anything like other medieval feasts researchers know about, Phys.org adds, then those festivities most likely included wild birds such as swans, cranes, herons and egrets.
Table service of a lady of quality
Feasting in antiquity ping.
It’s good to be king.
Wow. He lived well when he was king? This news has come as quite a shock. I would have figured he’d eat nothing but Rahman noodle soup.
Until you get hacked to death. ;-)
People drank alcohol if they could because it was one of the only liquids that was “clean.”
LOL
Fricasseed egret is to die for...
That looks like my kitchen, with the dog following us around looking for table scraps. Besides wine, the medieval people also had beer and mead
Pick one.
They also ate roasted peacock with the feathers on. I have a recipe somewhere.
This is semi-science. These are wild guesses to get some pop publicity and research grants. Scientists also like fame same as the Kardashians.
IOW take this with a grain of salt
I have a recipe for that!
Fricasseed Egret
Get an egret
Fricassee it.
Serve.
LOL
Now we have to figure out the proper wine to go with it.
“But according to new research, the King of England at least enjoyed some good eating throughout his lifeespecially in the few years leading up to his death.”
Before we start eatin’ we go through a long service.
Cut the brisket, then you start servin’.
Pour out the ‘schevitz and start slicky slicky slurpin’.
Slow down for me. You eatin’ too fast.
My fingers keep drippin’.
It goes straight to my azz.
Keep the gefilte fish.
I can’t stand it,
it’s soggy.
Somethin’ I despise,
I feed it to the doggy.
-”So Kosher” by Eric Schwartz
We seen the last of Good King Richard
Ring out the past his name lives on
Roll out the bones and raise up your pitcher
Raise up your glass to Good King John
-Steely Dan
I eat egret without regret.
It’s good to be King... The one thing he sure wasn’t doing while being the leader of his country and a great deal of what was then the free world, was golfing every day.
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