Catacombs of Paris

Tomenable

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Have there been any attempts to extract aDNA from bones of some of over 6 million Parisians buried in the Catacombs of Paris?

This number includes remains of people who lived over a period of many centuries, some perhaps even as early as Roman times.
 
Hey, it should be an easy job. The bones are sitting there ready for sampling. Just do it!
 
Going by this, the bones were sort of tossed in pell mell, so I don't know how accurately they could attribute certain bones to certain groups, but perhaps it would be possible, I don't know.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catacombs_of_Paris

Given that the French are rather committed to the ideal of "we are all French", I somehow doubt that the government would be interested in sponsoring or funding that kind of research.
 
They might have more luck in the Roman Catacombs. Some of the tombs in them are are still sealed.
http://www.domitilla.info/idx.htm?var1=docs/en01.htm

Of course it wouldn't tell us late "Roman" dna but at least it would tell us the dna of people in Rome at that time.

I've been there, and it's quite spooky, even given that you're with thousands of tourists and being hustled along...

The most spectacular ossuary I've ever seen is the one for the Capuchin monks in Rome, actually. My companions left hurriedly, but I thought it was fascinating. What that says about me I don't quite know. :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capuchin_Crypt


capuchin.png


Again, though, I don't know if they're grouped by century or source.
 

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