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Did grave robbers plunder battlefields?

science.org

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Re: Did grave robbers plunder battlefields?

#8

[flagged]

No, the article discusses how it seems very probable there was mass grave robbing for sugar production. So the answer is "yes" or at least "probably."

It's a definite "Yes" as far as UK archaeologists and historians have agreed for some time now.

    In a new book, an international team of historians and archaeologists argues the bones were depleted by industrial-scale grave robbing. The introduction of phosphates for fertilizer and bone char as an ingredient in beet sugar processing at the beginning of the 19th century transformed bones into a hot commodity. Skyrocketing prices prompted raids on mass graves across Europe—and beyond.
New book, old knowledge.

IIRC contemporary documentation, from the 19th Century, related to exploiting bone fields has been shown on UK TV as part of Digging For Britain and other such shows in years past.

Re: Did grave robbers plunder battlefields?

#9
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, the article discusses how it seems very probable there was mass grave robbing for sugar production. So the answer is "yes" or at least "probably."

It's a definite "Yes" as far as UK archaeologists and historians have agreed for some time now. In a new book, an international team of historians and archaeologists argues the bones were depleted by industrial-scale grave robbing. The introduction of phosphates for fertilizer and bone char as an ingredient in beet sugar processing at the beginning of the 19th century transformed bones into a hot commodity. Skyrocket…

>an international team of historians and archaeologists argues...

They seem to agree it's "probably." Proof is hard.

Re: Did grave robbers plunder battlefields?

#10

[flagged]

No, the article discusses how it seems very probable there was mass grave robbing for sugar production. So the answer is "yes" or at least "probably."

For anyone confused how grave robbing would contribute to sugar production:

"In a new book, an international team of historians and archaeologists argues the bones were depleted by industrial-scale grave robbing. The introduction of phosphates for fertilizer and bone char as an ingredient in beet sugar processing at the beginning of the 19th century transformed bones into a hot commodity. Skyrocketing prices prompted raids on mass graves across Europe—and beyond."

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