miniature coffins; It was discovered by native children in a cave in Scotland in 1836. The coffins, which were cut from wood and made in human form, were designed with attention to every detail. For what purpose and by whom the 17 miniature coffins were unearthed is the subject of research. Although more than 200 years have passed, various theories and legends have emerged about the coffins, for which no conclusion has been reached. These small coffins, eight of which have survived, are exhibited in the Scottish National Museum.
The human figures, whose faces are even quite well done, have been the subject of great controversy. The figures are dressed in cotton clothes from head to toe. These clothes are usually in the form of clothes worn at funerals. Quite neatly shaped, the coffins are about 3 or 4 inches long. Coffins nailed with wire nails are made of a single piece of wood. The cover of each one has lots of embellishment and small pewter fragments. The human figures created were carefully and neatly placed inside the wooden coffin.
Theories About Coffins
While the secret of the coffins cannot be solved, many theories have been put forward about it. Some say that coffins are magic, while others claim that they are symbolic burials of people lost at sea. Others claim it was done to silence the wandering spirits of the 16 people who were dismembered by Burke and Hare. Serial killers Burke and Hare murdered 16 people in Scotland in 10 months in 1828.
The coffins, which were meticulously crafted with attention to every detail, are thought to have been made by a skilled person. According to the researchers’ ideas, it was made by a skilled shoemaker. While the human figures in the coffins were made by the same person, it is estimated that the coffins were made by two different people. At the same time, the materials and tools used in the construction of the coffins show that they were made by the shoemaker.
The Basis for Theories About Coffins
Experts have studied what happened in Scotland when the coffins were made to unravel the mystery. At that time Scotland had become a center of excellent medical expertise. As medical schools increased, doctors studying anatomy led to an increase in grave robbers to study corpses. Among the most perverted body scavengers in history are both Irish immigrants William Burke and William Hare and the famous Edinburgh anatomist Dr. It features Robert Knox.
At that time, guards were placed at the head of the cemeteries in order to prevent grave robbers. For this reason, Burke and Hare began sending fresh bodies to local medical schools through murder. Thus, 16 people, 12 of whom were women, were murdered during Burke and Hare’s 10-month terrifying serial killer period. They earned a certain income in return for the corpses they sent to medical schools. It is thought that this is how miniature coffins came to be.
Others say that the coffins are not related to Burke and Hare. According to them, it was built in 1820 to commemorate those who were killed during the Radical war. Author and amateur historian Jeff Nisbet thinks that miniature coffins were made to ‘kindle the flames of rebellion’ after the Radical war of 1820. Despite the theories put forward, there is no concrete evidence about the purpose of the coffins.
