[blam]

Ping.

[WinOne4TheGipper]

Cool.

[John Beresford Tipton]

"The Medicis were a rather ugly lot, especially after they became inter-related with the Habsburgs,"

Jay Leno looks like a Hapsburg.

[John Beresford Tipton]

"Some believe they may have been Jewish."

Oy, the Pope's Jewish!
(Oh, well the Boss was too.)

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

DNA is sure taking a lot of the fun out of historical speculation. The truth is rarely as romantic as some of the wilder theories that have taken up by some historians.

If this becomes a trend a lot of academic reputations are going to be on the line.

[RightWhale]

Medicis were entrepreneurs, made their fortune in business. Firenze was well-situated as a center of commerce and trade, and allowed to exist because its neighbors were in no position to challenge. The last Medici was arrested off the street and already old, rotted in prison.

[Professional Engineer]

ping

[yankeedame]

The bodies of 50 members of Florence's Medici dynasty - some of whom are believed to have been poisoned - are to be exhumed for forensic tests to determine how they lived and died.

What the...?? Why? I mean, why are they doing this? What's the purpose? Whose paying for it? How'd the idea come to life- a couple of guys just sitting round one day trying to figure out how to get (another?) research grant? And if this is going to be "conducted far from indiscreet eyes" why did the speaker mention where this is all going to take place...in fact, why, before the results, was it mentioned at all?

Curiouser and curiouser.

[Cacique]

I frankly think they're related to Saddam Hussein.

[farmfriend]

Gods, Graves, Glyphs
List for articles regarding early civilizations , life of all forms, - dinosaurs - etc.

Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this ping list.

[microgood]

When I was younger I read a book called The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone about the life of Michaelangelo. He was sponsored by the de Medici family and hid many of their treasured art when the were overrun in his youth. The fact that they sponsored that genius makes them interesting to me, as that was a great and inspiring book.

[visualops]

Lorenzo's tomb


Final interrment place of Catherine de Medici (wife of Henry II of France)


Florence is an exquisite city. Most striking is the marble.

[Henchman]

The prospect of finding out who was who etc is great to anticipate. Hope the reality doesn't take the fun out of contentious history.

[carpio]

BTTT

[Cacique]

So? Did they find out anything? It's been three months already.