How Were Galileo's Lost Fingers Finally Discovered?

[jtbell]

One of Galileo's fingers has been on display for years in a museum in Florence, Italy. Now a couple more have turned up:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/11/23/galileo.fingers/index.html

 

[Sorry!]

One of Galileo's fingers has been on display for years in a museum in Florence, Italy. Now a couple more have turned up:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/11/23/galileo.fingers/index.html

Well then that is quite an amazing story I must admit. Something you would read about in say Dan Browns novels .

It's kind of creepy that they cut off his 3 fingers and took his tooth though, regardless of what they were doing or thought they would receive from it.

I've always wondered what people receive for bring things like this to the museums to display. Do they get money or something?

 

[Moonbear]

I'm more puzzled about why an auction house would let someone auction fingers and teeth?! Maybe selling body parts isn't illegal in that part of the world, but wouldn't it at least raise an eyebrow to question where they came from?

And, then I have to wonder about the previous owner...why would you want to OWN someone's fingers and tooth? I mean, I work in an anatomy lab. I see body parts preserved in jars all the time, but that's still not something I'd want to bring into my home!

 

[Evo]

I'm more puzzled about why an auction house would let someone auction fingers and teeth?!

I thought that was quite odd. How would one list such a thing? Item 35 - A jar of fingers and a tooth, origins unknown.

 

[Sorry!]

I'm more puzzled about why an auction house would let someone auction fingers and teeth?! Maybe selling body parts isn't illegal in that part of the world, but wouldn't it at least raise an eyebrow to question where they came from?

And, then I have to wonder about the previous owner...why would you want to OWN someone's fingers and tooth? I mean, I work in an anatomy lab. I see body parts preserved in jars all the time, but that's still not something I'd want to bring into my home!

Lol, this is all true. Maybe however the previous owner was part of the family that original owned the fingers and tooth knowing it was Galileo's and over time it was just lost knowledge.

It is extremely odd it was sold at an auction though. It's not like they could try to say they were selling the urn they were in because the article clearly mentions everyone knew there were fingers and a tooth inside of it lol.

 

[jtbell]

And, then I have to wonder about the previous owner...why would you want to OWN someone's fingers and tooth? I mean, I work in an anatomy lab. I see body parts preserved in jars all the time, but that's still not something I'd want to bring into my home!

After Einstein died, the pathologist who did the autopsy kept his brain for many years, carrying it around with him when he moved from one part of the country to another.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein's_brain

The brain sections had been preserved in alcohol in 2 large mason jars within a cider box for over 20 years.

 

[jobyts]

Havn't you guys heard about Rasputin's penis?

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[Ivan Seeking]

Havn't you guys heard about Rasputin's penis?

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No, I never thought to ask!

 

[rolerbe]

Having seen Galileo's finger on display in Florence (great museum just around the corner of the Uffizi), the best part is that it displays his middle finger, upright, facing rome.

 

[Dadface]

I'm really glad they've been found.I've been looking for them everywhere.

 

[Pattonias]

Its not surprising that these were bought at auction as it seems that the practice of removing fingers for relics was fairly common. At the auction, they most likely assumed that these were relics from an unknown source. I bet it was exciting to realize what this was and be able to buy it cheaply. Kind of like a real National Treasure story without all the intrigue.

I bet antique road show would have been excited.