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Solved At Last: The Burning Mystery Of Joan Of Arc
The Guardian (UK) ^ | 12-17-2006 | Alex Duval

Posted on 12/17/2006 11:08:36 AM PST by blam

Solved at last: the burning mystery of Joan of Arc

France's favourite saint was martyred by her English foes, who ordered her remains to be cast into the Seine. Now scientists believe they have established the facts surrounding her execution

Alex Duval Smith in Paris
Sunday December 17, 2006
The Observer (UK)

Catholic saint, national icon and one of the world's most famous military leaders, Joan of Arc has been a subject of fascination for the French for almost six centuries. Now academics believe they are close to proving that controversial relics are actually those of the real-life Maid of Orleans. Much is unknown about the life of the warrior. Facts have often been mixed with myth and theory. But what is generally agreed is that Joan's body was burnt three times by the English and ashes from the foot of the pyre were supposedly discovered in 1867, lurking in the Paris loft of an apothecary .

French scientists, who have been studying those ashes, confirmed yesterday that a piece of cloth found among the remains may have been a fragment of Joan of Arc's gown. A new series of DNA tests of bones and tissue found among the ashes is expected to confirm that they belong to a female. These initial discoveries suggest recent controversial claims surrounding the death of Joan of Arc are wrong. One theory, put forward by Ukrainian anthropologist Sergey Gorbenko, suggested Joan was not even burnt at the stake but lived to the age of 57. Another theory is that she was a man.

But the initial discoveries by forensic anthropologist Philippe Charlier, the project's leader, indicate that the standard version of Joan of Arc's death - by being burnt as a witch by the English - appears to be right, although the research...

(Excerpt) Read more at observer.guardian.co.uk ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: arc; catholic; france; godsgravesglyphs; joan; joanofarc; romancatholicism
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1 posted on 12/17/2006 11:08:37 AM PST by blam
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To: blam

They found her laundry mark.


2 posted on 12/17/2006 11:13:39 AM PST by battlegearboat
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To: blam

From the old paintings it looks like she was really a hottie.

(sorry. somebody had to say it.)


3 posted on 12/17/2006 11:15:09 AM PST by squarebarb
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To: blam
DNA... cool... she can be resurrected then?
4 posted on 12/17/2006 11:17:02 AM PST by Porterville (Fight without rules. Fight until only one side stands.)
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To: squarebarb
From the old paintings it looks like she was really a hottie.

Are you thinking about Joan van Ark?

5 posted on 12/17/2006 11:23:24 AM PST by King Moonracer (Bad lighting and cheap fabric, thats how you sell clothing.)
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To: blam

Jo Nuvark kindred spirit ping!


6 posted on 12/17/2006 11:26:49 AM PST by Jo Nuvark (Those who bless Israel will be blessed, those who curse Israel will be cursed. Gen 12:3)
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To: blam
confirmed yesterday that a piece of cloth found among the remains may have been a fragment

I can confirm that I may have a winning ticket in next week's lottery. Confirmation ain't what it used to be.

7 posted on 12/17/2006 11:27:08 AM PST by ClearCase_guy (The broken wall, the burning roof and tower. And Agamemnon dead.)
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To: blam
"Solved At Last: The Burning Mystery Of Joan Of Arc"

My first reaction on reading that title was "What mystery? They set her on fire."

Guess that wasn't the reaction the author was hoping for.

8 posted on 12/17/2006 11:28:06 AM PST by cake_crumb (When "bipartisan study groups" try to prosecute wars, you get Viet Nam)
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To: squarebarb

Lady Godiva

9 posted on 12/17/2006 11:29:04 AM PST by blam
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To: blam

10 posted on 12/17/2006 11:29:55 AM PST by facedown (Armed in the Heartland)
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To: blam
If they can just locate a living person whose mother can trace her lineage entirely through females back to a sister of Joan of Arc (if she had any sisters) or to a sister of her mother or of her maternal grandmother, they can see if the mitochondrial DNA matches.

Of course, finding someone who can trace his or her genealogy so far back on female lines will be difficult...better set CBS to work finding the documentation.

11 posted on 12/17/2006 11:30:17 AM PST by Verginius Rufus
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To: blam

France's new Joan of Arc, Sabine Herold.

12 posted on 12/17/2006 11:30:35 AM PST by Andy from Beaverton (I'm so anti-pc, I use a Mac)
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To: blam

Articles like this I call "wish" articles. They are wishing to solve this riddle but, of course they never will. Finding ashes that "May" be female from a time that hundreds if not thousands of women were burned at the stake for being witches, is not a big discovery that proves anything. I suppose those who believe and hope in this dribble are also evolutionists.


13 posted on 12/17/2006 11:37:31 AM PST by fish hawk (.)
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To: blam
French scientists..confirmed yesterday that a piece of cloth found among the remains may have been a fragment...

How can you confirm something may have...?

14 posted on 12/17/2006 11:42:11 AM PST by expatpat
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To: squarebarb

15 posted on 12/17/2006 11:44:25 AM PST by Mad_Tom_Rackham (Democracy: The worst form of government, except for all the others.)
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To: blam
French scientists, who have been studying those ashes, confirmed yesterday that a piece of cloth found among the remains - may have been - a fragment of Joan of Arc's gown.

Well, there you go then. Science is infallable!

16 posted on 12/17/2006 11:44:44 AM PST by airborne (MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Jesus is the reason for the season!!)
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To: blam
WWI French Poster
17 posted on 12/17/2006 11:44:52 AM PST by UnklGene
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To: UnklGene
Now, that is interesting. Enlisting a National Icon to arouse patriotic ardor to ally with the British against the Hun.

Of course, said Icon found her place in history fighting the British.

18 posted on 12/17/2006 11:54:13 AM PST by Erasmus (Go to Sebastopol and Crimea River.)
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To: Erasmus

Or maybe that's supposed to be the Lady of the Lake, that moistened wench.


19 posted on 12/17/2006 11:55:21 AM PST by Erasmus (Go to Sebastopol and Crimea River.)
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To: Erasmus

'Now, that is interesting. Enlisting a National Icon to arouse patriotic ardor to ally with the British against the Hun.
Of course, said Icon found her place in history fighting the British.'

Well, it's the only military icon france has ever had so they didn't have much of a choice!

Perhaps the subtext of the ad was: 'it took 100 years to find someone french with a backbone last time, can we try harder this time. . . .' :D


20 posted on 12/17/2006 12:03:28 PM PST by AngloSaxonChristian
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