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Rachael.Drennan@scotland.gsi.gov.ukDear Monica Thank you for your enquiry regarding the lineage of Robert the Br...
12/15/06
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Rachael.Drennan@scotland.gsi.gov.uk to me
show details 12/15/06
fromRachael.Drennan@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
tomonica.mom@gmail.com
dateFri, Dec 15, 2006 at 5:54 AM
subjectMelrose Abbey Heart Casket
hide details 12/15/06
Dear Monica
Thank you for your enquiry regarding the lineage of Robert the Bruce and the heart casket buried at Melrose Abbey.
In 1996, a lead canister was found during archaeological investigations in the Chapter House at Melrose. Inside the canister was found a conical lead casket about 10 inches high and 4 inches in diameter, tapering to a flat top about one and a half inches in diameter. Despite being pitted with age it is in remarkably good condition. Inside many believe is the heart of Robert the Bruce, although we have no way of knowing this for certain. Since the discovery of the casket, our historical research informs us that at least two other heart burials have been recorded at Melrose Abbey.
The heart casket was not opened in 1996, both out of respect, and in accordance with ethical guidelines concerning human remains. The casket was buried again during a private ceremony at Melrose Abbey on 22 June 1998. On the 24th June, the then Scottish Secretary of State, Donald Dewar, unveiled a plinth over the place in the abbey grounds where the heart is now buried.
The casket was first found in the 1920's during an earlier excavation and opened by archaeologists at this time, who found it contained a heart preserved in tar. Due to this method of preservation, specialists have agreed that it would be impossible to obtain DNA samples, if any were present, and to attempt to do so would mean the destruction of a large part, if not the whole, of the heart.
Heart burial was a common practice in medieval times. The burial of the heart is due to its associations with the soul, affection and courage. Other notable cases of heart burial include Richard I, Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry I.
I understand that it is doubtless disappointing that your neighbour, Robert Renfrew, is no closer to proving his lineage to Robert the Bruce, but I regret that we have no further information to give you until the 1996 Chapterhouse excavation is published. There is still a lot of work to do on other finds from this excavation, and the excavation report is unlikely to be available before 2008.
If you wish to obtain images of the heart casket please contact: hsimages@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Kind regards
Rachael Drennan
Collections Documentation Assistant
Historic Scotland
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Monica King to Rachael.Drennan
show details 12/18/06
fromMonica King
to"Rachael.Drennan@scotland.gsi.gov.uk"
dateMon, Dec 18, 2006 at 11:57 AM
subjectRe: Melrose Abbey Heart Casket
mailed-bygmail.com
hide details 12/18/06
- Show quoted text -
On 12/15/06, Rachael.Drennan@scotland.gsi.gov.uk < Rachael.Drennan@scotland.gsi.gov.uk> wrote:
Dear Monica
Thank you for your enquiry regarding the lineage of Robert the Bruce and the heart casket buried at Melrose Abbey.
In 1996, a lead canister was found during archaeological investigations in the Chapter House at Melrose. Inside the canister was found a conical lead casket about 10 inches high and 4 inches in diameter, tapering to a flat top about one and a half inches in diameter. Despite being pitted with age it is in remarkably good condition. Inside many believe is the heart of Robert the Bruce, although we have no way of knowing this for certain. Since the discovery of the casket, our historical research informs us that at least two other heart burials have been recorded at Melrose Abbey.
The heart casket was not opened in 1996, both out of respect, and in accordance with ethical guidelines concerning human remains. The casket was buried again during a private ceremony at Melrose Abbey on 22 June 1998. On the 24th June, the then Scottish Secretary of State, Donald Dewar, unveiled a plinth over the place in the abbey grounds where the heart is now buried.
The casket was first found in the 1920's during an earlier excavation and opened by archaeologists at this time, who found it contained a heart preserved in tar. Due to this method of preservation, specialists have agreed that it would be impossible to obtain DNA samples, if any were present, and to attempt to do so would mean the destruction of a large part, if not the whole, of the heart.
Heart burial was a common practice in medieval times. The burial of the heart is due to its associations with the soul, affection and courage. Other notable cases of heart burial include Richard I, Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry I.
I understand that it is doubtless disappointing that your neighbour, Robert Renfrew, is no closer to proving his lineage to Robert the Bruce, but I regret that we have no further information to give you until the 1996 Chapterhouse excavation is published. There is still a lot of work to do on other finds from this excavation, and the excavation report is unlikely to be available before 2008.
If you wish to obtain images of the heart casket please contact: hsimages@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Kind regards
Rachael Drennan
Collections Documentation Assistant
Historic Scotland
********************************************************
This e-mail (and any files or other attachments transmitted with it) is intended solely for the attention of the addressee(s). Unauthorised use, disclosure, storage, copying or distribution of any part of this e-mail is not permitted. If you are not the intended recipient please destroy the email, remove any copies from your system and inform the sender immediately by return.
Communications with the Scottish Executive may be monitored or recorded in order to secure the effective operation of the system and for other lawful purposes. The views or opinions contained within this e-mail may not necessarily reflect those of the Scottish Executive.
********************************************************
The original of this email was scanned for viruses by Government Secure Intranet (GSi) virus scanning service supplied exclusively by Cable & Wireless in partnership with MessageLabs.
On leaving the GSI this email was certified virus free.
The MessageLabs Anti Virus Service is the first managed service to achieve the CSIA Claims Tested Mark (CCTM Certificate Number 2006/04/0007), the UK Government quality mark initiative for information security products and services. For more information about this please visit www.cctmark.gov.uk
Hi Rachael!
Well, it seems we have certainly not ruled this possibility OUT by any means, now does it?
Robert does not really care about this, one way or the other. It all seems a wilsd fai8ry tale to him. Yet, something about rings true. SO, I guess we would need to know more about how to contact the current Scretary of Scotland, who he or she is & a mail contact & phone contasct, along with who isw in charge of this next excavation you are talking about.
Certainly I understand the ethical considerations! I studied ethics extensively in divinity school at Harvard.
What I am weighing in my own mind, is how to use what is available to determine this line of monarchs which preserves the essence of WHY these courageoussouls did sucvh a thing back then,
Since Robert the Bruce "married" his heart to Scotland forever, & preserved his heart under an Abbey to do so, it was likely the idea that his loyalty & love of his country & peo[pl;e is what he was atytempting to preserve.
As the overseeing ancestor of this in
--
Isaiah 65:17-19
'Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more.'
Peace. May it prevail upon the earth.
Sincerely, Monica King, CEO INEDA
You are cordially invited to check out this site for the International Nursing Exchange & Development Agency, a nonprofit, charitable nursing agency dedicated to global healing & health
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