This documentary was originally published as Secrets of the Dead on PBS and was republished on the Absolute History channel. The run time for this documentary is 49:14.
When Christopher Columbus arrived in the Americas in 1492, he brought back diseases that wiped out the native population. In revenge, the legend goes, they sent back syphilis. However, a skeleton in Hull may show that the story is not true. An archeological group surveyed the site for a court. What was found may have been the remains of a medieval church. Many skeletons and artifacts were recovered. However, it was one skeleton that puzzled archeologists. This particular skeleton would rewrite history. The church had a complete floor plan and the burials were well preserved. As the bones came out, one skeleton, in particular, showed signs of disease. This particular skeleton was sent on for further examination and the exam discovered signs of syphilis. Normally skeletons do not provide insight into the disease that they died from. However, syphilis leaves telltale traces. The skull had pockmarks on it as well as a hole in the mouth, some signs of syphilis. Even the leg bones show traces of legions and bone rebuilding. Two more skeletons on the site revealed syphilis. Other skeletons showed signs as well. This was a religious community? Why so many signs of syphilis? What sort of religious community was it? Why were these burials found inside the church wall? The Augustinian monks established their community. They were the social services of the day and they cared for the sick. They begged for a living. The monks living in this community would have been celibate. The skeletons found in Hull showed signs of a sexually transmitted disease. The rich would have left the community money for funeral services. It would have been a system open to corruption by unscrupulous monks looking to bulk up their funds. The Augustinians were not isolated from the Hull community. They were housed between the port and the houses of the wealthy. Perhaps there was some carousing going on in the community. If these monks were corrupt, the evidence is scant. Why was there syphilis found in the walls? A map was commissioned of the site, this map showed the layout of the church as well as where the skeletons were found. Close to the altar, was closer to God. These plots were reserved for the monks themselves as well as the rich who could pay for the privilege. This particular skeleton was found near the altar: was he a monk or a noble? So, when did this man die? Evidence would provide a shocking answer and would send shock-waves through the historical community. Syphilis would go down as being brought over by Columbus and spread throughout Europe. Was this the case? The Hull site would reveal those answers as there were several coffin planks removed from the site. What would these coffin planks reveal? What would the artifacts on the site continue to reveal with the site? Can historians reconcile the story of syphilis to the evidence? So, what is the real story of syphilis? The story that the First Nations gave Columbus and his crew syphilis began with eyewitness accounts from 1495. One man wrote about the disease sweeping through the port of Venice and he talks about the stages of the disease. This was the first account of syphilis ever written. The Europeans would have thought God was punishing them for their immorality. Nobody wanted to accept responsibility for unleashing this disease on the world. It was a Portuguese doctor that made the connection to Columbus and his travels in the Americas. The evidence does suggest that syphilis ran through America. How could this one skeleton overturn 500 years of history? Tune into the rest of this documentary to find out. This was an older documentary; however, it is a good demonstration of the History meets Science perspective. You can see the scientific method; such as the hypothesis, documenting evidence, and conclusion demonstrated through this story. There was also a great deal of debate over the evidence and what additional evidence was needed. As a result, I would show this documentary to a high school science and high school history class.
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