The remains of 17 people, believed to be Jewish and found at the bottom of a 12th century well, may change historians’ accounts of past attitudes towards medieval Jews.
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The skeletons were originally found in 2004 during work on a new shopping centre in Norwich. Now they have been re-examined for a BBC documentary.
Using a combination of DNA analysis, carbon-dating and bone chemical studies, forensic anthropologists at the University of Dundee have worked on the skeletons, which date back to the 12th or 13th centuries. DNA expert Dr Ian Barnes said: “The DNA data suggests the remains share a genetic lineage and common ancestry with modern-day Jews.”
The results indicate that five of the bodies were members of a single Jewish family, and a total of 11 were children under the age of 15.
After detailed examination, it seems they did not die of disease, and now the scientists have claimed they were the victims of an “act of violence”.
If the remains are indeed Jewish, Rabbi Yehuda Brodie, of the Manchester Beth Din, said the discovery posed “new halachic questions” of reburial.
“Other reburial of medieval remains have always been based on documentary evidence, such as in Winchester and York. This is the first time we are talking about remains identified as Jewish, just from DNA evidence, and found outside the environment of a cemetery. ”
jews were always terrorized since the creation of the world wht does it mean scientists will change their atitude didnt they realize tht already?!
It is unlikely that yidden, even in the 11th century, would have voluntarily been at the bottom of a well. More likely, there was some coercion involved, possibly the result of anti-semitism.
These Jews were part of the Zionist occupation of Palestinian land and, therefore, were killed by militants fighting for their freedom. Just ask Catherine Ashton and George Galloway! Anne Lennox is going to march in protest against these Jews!
Such acts were well documented by historians.
Imagine the horror. Never let them think we forgot.
Unfortunately, aside from some of the horrific periods, most Jews are clueless to the relationship of Jews and gentiles for most of recorded history. In the story of Robin Hood (which is very likely based on fact) Without discussing Robin’s ethics and whether he was halachically good or bad, at the end of the story Robin is cornered by the sheriff of Notingham and the evil King John who is sitting on the throne in his brother’s, King Richard’s, absence. Suddenly trumpets blow and King Richard returns and saves RH. Question: Is King Richard good or bad? Answer: Where has Richard been for the last three years? He has been leading the third crusade and leaving Europe knee deep in Jewish blood on the way to the holy land. He has murdered the Ba’alei Tosfos, the greatest Jewish minds of his time. He has burned Yaakov d’Olrleans at the stake in London in 1203(?). He is the Adolph Hitler of his generation and… what many think, is the good guy at the end of the RH story. Thats the period during which these people were killed. Welcome to Jewish history 101.
So many years later and still not buried properly.. A real pain for the neshama.. And who knows what they nebech suffered???
What an upside down viewpoint. Here’s clear evidence that these skeletons are Jewish, and the Manchester Bes Din has doubts. When skeletons are found in Israel that are clearly non-Jewish, the Eda Chareidis (brothers to Manchester dayanim) yell and scream that they might be Jewish.
What no one yet stopped to think is that these bones might be from our ancestors whose DNA we share. What are we waiting for? Seven years and …