Skip to main content

Someone decapitated an 800-year-old mummy and ran off with its head

Intruders crept into a crypt at Dublin, Ireland's St. Michan's Church, decapitated an 800-year-old mummy and ran off with the head. The Garda Síochána (Irish police) ask that anyone with information about the missing head or those who did the decapitating, please contact them. From CNN:

The mummy is thought to be a soldier who fought in the Crusades, a series of eight expeditions sanctioned by the Church between the 11th and 13th centuries, which resulted in a religious war between Christians and Muslims.

Intruders turned the body over while removing its head, and also desecrated the 400-year-old remains of a nun, according to the Church.

The vandalism, which is being investigated by police, was discovered on Monday as a guide was preparing to open the church.

From the New York Times:

St. Michan’s attracts around 28,000 paying visitors a year, who come to tour its small but historically significant interior, which includes the organ on which George Frideric Handel wrote his “Messiah” oratorio, and view the mummified bodies in their open coffins.

In the last century, visitors were even allowed to shake the Crusader’s leathery hand “for good luck..."

Another section of the crypt was sealed after being vandalized in 1996 by three teenagers who broke in, dragged corpses into the churchyard and played football with the head of a little girl.

image at top: "mummies in the St Michan’s Church crypt" by Jennifer Boyer

from Boing Boing https://ift.tt/2T3ueq9
via IFTTT

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Instagram accidentally reinstated Pornhub’s banned account

After years of on-and-off temporary suspensions, Instagram permanently banned Pornhub’s account in September. Then, for a short period of time this weekend, the account was reinstated. By Tuesday, it was permanently banned again. “This was done in error,” an Instagram spokesperson told TechCrunch. “As we’ve said previously, we permanently disabled this Instagram account for repeatedly violating our policies.” Instagram’s content guidelines prohibit  nudity and sexual solicitation . A Pornhub spokesperson told TechCrunch, though, that they believe the adult streaming platform’s account did not violate any guidelines. Instagram has not commented on the exact reasoning for the ban, or which policies the account violated. It’s worrying from a moderation perspective if a permanently banned Instagram account can accidentally get switched back on. Pornhub told TechCrunch that its account even received a notice from Instagram, stating that its ban had been a mistake (that message itse...

California Gov. Newsom vetoes bill SB 1047 that aims to prevent AI disasters

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed bill SB 1047, which aims to prevent bad actors from using AI to cause "critical harm" to humans. The California state assembly passed the legislation by a margin of 41-9 on August 28, but several organizations including the Chamber of Commerce had urged Newsom to veto the bill . In his veto message on Sept. 29, Newsom said the bill is "well-intentioned" but "does not take into account whether an Al system is deployed in high-risk environments, involves critical decision-making or the use of sensitive data. Instead, the bill applies stringent standards to even the most basic functions - so long as a large system deploys it."  SB 1047 would have made the developers of AI models liable for adopting safety protocols that would stop catastrophic uses of their technology. That includes preventive measures such as testing and outside risk assessment, as well as an "emergency stop" that would completely shut down...

If only your bike had a trunk. Oh wait, now it does.

Just to let you know, if you buy something featured here, Mashable might earn an affiliate commission. Biking is one of the best ways to get around, especially if you live in a city. It's quick, it's eco-friendly, and you get a bit of exercise.  If you already commute on two wheels or are thinking of starting, there's a storage device you kinda need. SEE ALSO: This bamboo keyboard combo adds a touch of tranquility to your workspace The Buca Boot is a pretty magical two-in-one hybrid: It’s a super secure storage box for your bike that works like the trunk of a car. You can lock your helmet or whatever else in it and leave it safely behind. It’s also a basket—open it up, and you can carry a bouquet of flowers and a baguette like the picturesque cyclist of your dreams.    Read more... More about Storage , Car , Bicycle , Trunk , and Cyclist from Mashable http://ift.tt/2eHNwLB via IFTTT