Mushroom Kitty // A3 // acrylic + ink mixed media // 2014
History’s first forensic murder investigation, China, 1235 AD
In 1247 AD during the Song Dynasty of China, a book called Collected Cases of Injustice Rectified also known as The Washing Away of Wrongs was first published by Song Ci, a Chinese coroner and detective. Essentially the book was a guide for early coroners, detailing how to determine cause of death based on forensic science. Divided into 53 chapters and five volumes, the work details the case studies and personal observations of Song Ci. Incredibly advanced for its time, the book covers topics such as anatomy, the decay of corpses, details the wounds made by different weapons, appearance of corpses from various causes of death, and postmortem examination methods.
Among the case studies of The Washing Away of Wrongs is an anecdote now considered to be the first case of forensic entomology in history. In 1235 AD a man was found stabbed, slashed, and hacked to death in a small village. The local magistrate inspected the victims wounds, then tested various types of blades on animal corpses, which allowed him to determine that the weapon used was a common farming sickle. According to Song Ci, a brilliant plan was created by the magistrate to determine who was the murderer,
The local magistrate began the investigation by calling all the local peasants who could be suspects into the village square. Each was to carry their hand sickles to the town square with them. Once assembled, the magistrate ordered the ten-or-so suspects to place their hand sickles on the ground in front of them and then step back a few yards. The afternoon sun was warm and as the villagers, suspects, and magistrates waited, bright shiny metallic green flies began to buzz around them in the village square. The shiny metallic colored flies then began to focus in on one of the hand sickles lying on the ground. Within just a few minutes many had landed on the hand sickle and were crawling over it with interest. None of the other hand sickles had attracted any of these pretty flies. The owner of the tool became very nervous, and it was only a few more moments before all those in the village knew who the murderer was. With head hung in shame and pleading for mercy, the magistrate led the murderer away. The witnesses of the murder were the brightly metallic colored flies known as the blow flies which had been attracted to the remaining bits of soft tissue, blood, bone and hair which had stuck to the hand sickle after the murder was committed. The knowledge of the village magistrate as to a specific insect group’s behavior regarding their attraction to dead human tissue was the key to solving this violent act and justice was served in China.
Today The Washing Away of Wrongs has been translated into several different languages, with modern forensic scientists adding their own anecdotes and studies. It has been esteemed by generations of public service officials and is often required reading in criminology today.
(via slipstreamborne)
I hope I dont bother anyone with this :c First time I am actually happy with my digital colouring. Unfortunately readmores dont work with pictures / on my art blog in general it seems, cause my theme is fucked up… ugh. I reaaaally don’t want to offend anyone. I hope some of you like it at least!
Also, if anyone can offer me help on my theme / coding, you are very welcome :O
(½)
Franz Kafka´s THE METAMORPHOSIS
Illustrated by José Hernández
Franco Banfi
A swiss diver, captured these pictures of one of the six anacondas he saw on his 10 day trip to Mato Grosso in Brazil. This one was about 26-feet long.
“At the first moment it’s scary because you don’t know the animal and everybody says it’s dangerous. ‘But after a while you understand that nothing happens if you respect the snake. ‘I have never been so close to a snake like this before. But I think a small poisonous snake is more scary than a big one. At least you can see the anacondas clearly and know what they’re doing.” - Franco Banfi
(via greenprase)
About 14 detached feet (in sport shoes) were found mysteriously on the shores between British Columbia and Washington in 2007. People had no idea why this was happening. There were many theories as to the cause such as natural disaster, supernatural causes or even serial killers, but the reality was a lot more sad.
Almost all of the shoes found belonged to suicide victims who jumped from bridges over the Fraiser River. Once the body lost life, it released gases that held it afloat, then soon it began to decompose and marine life began to feed on it. Feet shod in polymer-based sneakers, however, survived(fish can’t chew through them.)
(via fishy-lin)
While it’s true that butterflies suck nectar from flowers for nourishment, they also feed on on rotting fruit, animal dung and decaying corpses. Flowers alone do not provide enough sodium for butterflies, so they are attracting to salty things. If a butterfly has ever landed on you, it is because the butterfly was attracted by the smell of salt in your sweat and blood. (Source)
(via fishy-lin)