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Lifting the lid on amazing jewel-encrusted 'martyr' skeletons

A relic hunter dubbed 'Indiana Bones' has lifted the lid on a macabre collection of jewel-encrusted skeletons unearthed in churches across Europe. Art historian Paul Koudounaris has hunted down and photographed dozens of gruesome skeletons in some of the world's most secretive religious establishments. Incredibly, some of the skeletons, which took up to five years to decorate, were even found hidden away in lock-ups and containers. They are now the subject of his latest book, which sheds light on the forgotten ornamented relics for the first time. Thousands of skeletons were dug up from Roman catacombs in the 16th century and installed in towns around Germany, Austria and Switzerland on the orders of the Vatican. They were sent to Catholic churches and religious houses to replace the relics destroyed in the wake of the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s. Mistaken for the remains of early Christian martyrs, the morbid relics, known as the Catacomb Saints, became shrines reminding of the spiritual treasures of the afterlife. They were also symbols of the Catholic Church's newly found strength in previously Protestant areas. Each one was painstakingly decorated in thousands of pounds worth of gold, silver and gems by devoted followers before being displayed in church niches. Some took up to five years to decorate.

400-year-old remains are adorned with dozens of jewels, gems and a gold leaf crown. In the hollows of the eyes sit two gold brooches, set with a blue gem and pearls. Thousands of skeletons were dug up from Roman catacombs in the 16th century and brought to towns in Germany, Austria and Switzerland on orders of the Vatican. This was in the wake of the Prostestant Reformation, when the following and belief of Catholicism was waning in Europe. (REX/Paul Koudounaris/BNPS)

The skeletal hand of St Valentin is decorated with opulent rings and expensive garments. Each would have taken up to five years to dress back in the 16th century, with thousands of pounds of jewels, silver and gold. They were renamed as saints, although none of them qualified for the title as the Catholic church requires saints to have been canonised. (REX/Paul Koudounaris/BNPS)

The remains of the saints have been laden with thousands of pounds worth of treasured items. (REX/Paul Koudounaris/BNPS)

The decorated skeleton of St Luciana, at a convent in Heiligkreuztal, Germany, was comfort to Catholics whose churches and relics had been destroyed by the Reformation. The practice largely died out after the 16th century. (REX/Paul Koudounaris/BNPS)

The skeleton of St Friedrich at the Benedictine Abbey in Melk, Austria, is pictured reclining under extravagant jewels and gold. (REX/Paul Koudounaris/BNPS)

A decorated skeleton of St Munditia in the church of St Peter in Munich, Germany. The bejewelled skeletons were significant for Catholics in the aftermath of the Reformation as a means to tie believers to the religion in Protestant areas. (REX/Paul Koudounaris/BNPS)

The skull of St Getreu, in Ursberg, Bavaria, is covered by netting and decorated with an extravagant crown and neck brace. The skeletons were said to be saints but in actual fact the remains could have been anyone. (REX/Paul Koudounaris/BNPS)

The decorated skeleton of St Deodatus in Rheinau, Switzerland. The dressed up relics were known as the Catacomb Saints and became shrines, reminding believers of the spiritual treasures of the afterlife. (REX/Paul Koudounaris/BNPS)

A 400-year-old jewel-encrusted skeleton of St Valentinus in Waldsassen, Bavaria. The decorated skeletons were sent to Catholic churches in Europe to replace the relics destroyed during the Prostestant Reformation. It was also a sign of the power and strength of Catholicism in largely Prostestant areas (REX/Paul Koudounaris/BNPS)

A skull covered in netting. (REX/Paul Koudounaris/BNPS)
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/lightbox/catacombs-saints-400-year-old-skeletons-decorated-in-jewels-unearthed-1379326976-slideshow/a-skull-covered-in-netting-thousands-of-skeletons-were-dug-up-from-roman-catacombs-in-the-16th-photo-1379326224409.html

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Fields of custard: Photographer's amazing pictures of 'Alice in Wonderland' landscape

By Simon Garner


These are the amazing images of bright yellow rapeseed fields that look just like custard.

 

They were taken by German photographer Anne Berlin on a visit to Luoping, China.

 

Anne said: "It was absolutely unbelievable, a fascinating sight that I will never forget. They were such a bright yellow - they looked like custard.

 

"When I at first left the car, I was so bowled over from what I saw, that for a short time, I even forgot taking photos.

 

"I never saw something comparable. It was so amazing. When I walked through this fabulous landscape, I felt like Alice in Wonderland.

 

"Millions of busy bees were buzzing around me. It was like swimming in a yellow sea of flowers.

 

"I'll never forget this wonderful fascinating day. It was so amazing. You can't believe it, except you see it yourself."

 

The fields in Luoping (Picture: Caters)

 

Ms Berlin was making a photo tour through Yunnan in March when she took the shots.

 

"The last two days we stayed at Luoping, which is about 200km to the east of Kunming, to take some pictures of the rapeseed fields", she said.

 

"The weather wasn't good for taking photographs because it was quite hazy. To take the images we had to climb up a tall hill."

 

To capture the wonderful pictures, Anne used a Canon 5D Mark II, 17-40mm and 70-200mm.

 

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The Tale What She Saw Today’s video is truly amazing as it literally offers portraits of Heaven from a child divinely inspired here on Earth.What’s most amazing about this incredible young artist artist isn’t justher talent, it’s that her faith and gift were received at birth- a time when both her parents were atheists.
Girl Goes To Hell And Lives To Tell and paint The Tale What She Saw
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