Medieval African Mystery - History Cold Case - S01 EP01 - History Documentary

Unravel the medieval mystery of an African skeleton found in Ipswich as forensic experts delve into his origins and demise. From Crusades to DNA analysis, follow the journey to uncover the truth behind his presence in medieval England and the circumstances of his death. With scientific breakthroughs and historical insights, witness the fascinating investigation unfold in this gripping episode of History Cold Case.
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History Cold Case unveils the intriguing work of Dundee's Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification. By analysing ancient skeletons, the team reveals who these individuals were, their causes of death, and untold stories of the past, including remarkable discoveries like a Victorian cellar mummy and potentially the UK's first evidence of medieval African residents.
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[@joannamallory2823]

I’m surprised this show wasn’t longer lived. So very interesting.

[@bernadettekavanagh9984]

I think there should be several parts to this story.

[@mistyvaughn6356]

I don't think they did more than 1 season. I wish there were more.

[@louisemerriman1079]

I could listen to professor sue black for hours. Remarkable lady ,

[@iloveharrold]

I find she seems very trustworthy

[@littlewren5775]

This should still be going even today. We learned so much from cold cases. Theres thousands skeletal remains in vaults waiting to be seen This program should be back. ❤

[@sleepycatsqueeze]

How this program ran for only two seasons is sad imho.

[@59tante]

Wish there were more in the series. Dame Dr Susan Black rocks it

[@kiwimid]

I was watching a lecture by her recently and she appeared to make oblique reference to a 'terrible series' that she would never repeat, I wondered with some sadness whether she meant this series as I am so fond of it. 😢

[@monicacall7532]

Dame Sue and her entire team rock! I do wish that this show would return. I wish that the US had TV shows like this. History documentaries here are more like “Alien Invaders Helped Ulysses Grant to Win the Civil War” which is a total crock.🤬

[@bblake5116]

Love this show, sad there are only two seasons, filmed in 2010 and 2011.

[@ladyfarmer55]

Not the only one. Far more entertaining than "Married at First Site".

[@OhCanadathebest]

Uk shows rock​@@ladyfarmer55

[@Couchintheclouds]

It would be wild if they uploaded these to like GED match and you could see if you were related to some of these ancient skeletons they find.

[@mindymorgan8479]

Except for ancient DNA would connect millions to each person born that long ago.

[@Couchintheclouds]

@@mindymorgan8479 but 1 million as a percentage of the total world population isn’t that much and it would be interesting and get get more people interested in science.

[@moniquehenderson156]

From Sydney Australia. I came across these episodes years ago and still love them. Love the team. Love the shows. Fascinating.

[@Cassxowary]

Xanthe Mallett is from around now and on Aussie telly sometimes

[@Cassxowary]

And it is

[@afrahf9010]

They should redo a mini series on all these cases with updates using new technology. Or they can start a new global series, where they go around the world in search of cold cases

[@commonsense571]

YES!!🙏🙏🙏

[@pinkdoobie]

The Norwich case was in the news a few months ago. Further generic investigation proves definitely that the bodies were Jewish, which then allowed them to finally receive a decent burial.

[@joanlittle3899]

For me to learn so much is a dream come true. I sure stay up late at night so I can see these wonderful videos thanks again.. Granny90

[@nillyk5671]

I am so glad for you :D Keep learning!

[@maireadtono5132]

This show is brilliant I have learned so much from it. Ancestry is fascinating.

[@bilindalaw-morley161]

14:35 I'm hugely excited by this. The excellent Shardlake historical//crime book series has a continuing character who came from North Africa to a monastery in Tudor England. His parents had converted to Christianity when he was a very young boy. I don't think I've ever had a book "come to life" for me like this. I actually thought the character was a bit far fetched, coming from North Africa, becoming a monk, then after the dissolution of the monasteries becoming an apothecary. And yet here he is!

[@kathydavenport4422]

I go over these every couple years. I like this stuff so much I wish they would open this program again and put some new ones out. Thank you.

[@ericashmusic8889]

An additional possibility ( confirmed by many other records ) is that sailors on these long journeys abroad sometimes died on the way, got into fights & were killed in arguments or, died in skirmishes on land. Captains needed to have a full compliment of crew, and were quite well known to use any methods to obtain sturdy individuals willing to join the crew. These new crew members would of course be recruited at the ports they visited & could be Portuguese Spanish or indeed any race colour or creed capable & willing. Being residents of the ports they would most probably be individuals already having sea & sailing experience, & therefore already suited for the job. It was of necessity incumbent on Captains because trying to manage a vessel in storms while lacking sufficient crew, invariably endangered all.

[@Metta33]

It would also be handy to have crew member that you didint have to pay wages to.

[@johnwahannah2385]

The oldest boat found in Britain was in the style of Egyptian boat built some two and a half thousand years before the vikings were about.

[@Metta33]

@@johnwahannah2385 before the vikings were recorded in account that survives to this day. They were surely about earlier.

[@chrisannegalvez4449]

What a great series! Why is it not on any more. I read there were 2 seasons, but KZbin only has 4 episodes.

[@SandraNelson063]

I know that Dr. Black has devoted herself to helping in the hunt for child molesters. So she would not be available.

[@Duster_33]

Watching these has made start considering a career in forensic anthropology

[@betsyhope3266]

I’ve seen all the shows and hope more are made.

[@eddiesroom1868]

Well, I appreciate it, this show was fascinating

[@carol.luna.stella]

Fascinating, wish more episodes were made

[@donnakawana]

Purely amazing.. glad I've found this show. Thanks for sharing this with us grateful

[@zammitsillato]

make me remember of the knights hospitaliers of Malta .. the region, the knights , the crusades, the route and maybe the physiognomy of the general Mediterranean area great eppisode

[@depaula1710]

I'm a bit baffled by the scientist researching the y-chromosomes... surely the passing down of y-chromosomes doesn't necessarily align with the line of surnames. All it takes is one single illegitimate child to overthrow the correlation of all previous generations entirely. But he does state the given link between surname and y-chromosome twice. I'm assuming he probably brought that nuance to the conversation, but it was cut by editors?

[@lisaharmon733]

Watching this now and I am surprised that it is assumed that the skeleton was a Muslim man who converted. There were Christian churches in Africa in this time period and earlier and evidence of Africans in Europe as merchant, traders, visitors. Even Christian pilgrims. It is very possible the man was already Christian when he came to England.

[@christianwouters6764]

Of course. The original issue of the crusades was to protect Christian churches and monasteries in the Middle East. There were many more Christian locals there than now.

[@debbralehrman5957]

Very true.

[@suzanh7777]

Had you listened, they very clearly stated there was “a documented case...” . It goes on to say there is no way of knowing the exact origins or reasons. If people listened more, instead of jumping to conclusions, a lot more learning would occur.

[@lisaharmon733]

@@suzanh7777 it has been some time since I've seen this, but "a documented case" does not mean "in this case". As the presence of Jew, Christian and Muslim people are documented in Africa at this point in history, assuming that this particular individual's religious choice was Muslim is exactly that- an assumption. First lesson in learning, question assumptions.

[@magnificent6668]

Or perhaps he was Ethiopian...that would explain why they presumed him to be north African based on skeletal remains.

[@gailhowes9398]

Fascinating, thank you so much for your thorough research !

[@lynderherberts2828]

I remember bingeing on the entire series several years ago.

[@hazelbailey1769]

Hey I want to give you a big shout out I love your videos I like watching all about history & where different people come from & why or how people lived & died

[@Summerrose400]

I always wonder what these individuals names were. They were more than just bones to someone. Dad, brother etc etc

[@debbielwilliamson8546]

Absolutely fantastic video!

[@ronniebutler3635]

In awe of these amazing academics

[@ellstark372]

Just discovered your channel….absolutely brilliant! I was hooked and engaged in the first 5 minutes. I love things that challenge my preconceptions. Thank you for your work.

[@brendamcclellan1016]

I love this show it is just so fascinating to me.

[@suzanh7777]

Fascinating indeed.

[@sundayscomrad4877]

love ur vids! very interesting!!

[@erinobrien8408]

My first thought was a North African who possibly converted to christianity during the crusades, and returned as a loyal friend to England with a crusader.

[@nina241085]

Like Morgan Freeman’s character in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves

[@sydneyfairbairn3773]

North Africans are often Arabic.

[@fionabryant7923]

Or as a servant , still loyal to his upbringing, longing for home.

[@minasan6337]

​@@fionabryant7923not likely

[@teresarios4034]

I Love HISTORY COLD CASE. I HOPE THERE BE MORE COMING OUT.

[@Cassxowary]

Unfortunately it’s old and the redhead woman didn’t want to in the first place but her school was paid enough that her opinion didn’t matter sadly. And Xanthe Mallett is now living and working in Australia and is on tv there. But hope it comes back with other people!

[@lesleywood788]

Amazing!

[@gingerjohnson1095]

I have been finding these episodes very interesting however I find I much prefer the narration in Season 1 (Lawrence Fox) to the narrator in Season 2. The timbre is deeper and seems more serious and intense....plus I've always liked Lawrence Fox's voice and diction...I missed it in Season 2. I would love to see more episodes. Any chance of that happening? There aren't enough of them.

[@susannamarker2582]

I love Lawrence Fox's voice. It's like Jeremy Irons's voice. Pure masculinity. I hope my husband doesn't see this comment.

[@kateg6029]

Wow! Just love this show

[@cruzrojas5991]

Love this channel

[@lauriewebb1171]

Discovered these & Im addicted!

[@samanthapateman8054]

This was very interesting.

[@SharonCarbine]

Fascinating! Thank you!!!

[@gordonmackenzie5492]

Amazing worth a watch. it would be nice if they showed were the bones they were talking about where on the human body.

[@bilindalaw-morley161]

@21:00 John Black, "Henry's favourite trumpeter" wrote* a letter asking for a payrise. He said he was being paid less than the previous musician in his position and asked for the raise, plus back pay....and got it! He is also on record as receiving a wedding present from Henry VIII. So it's evident he was treated no differently than the other trumpeters. It's ironic since that was a time we view as hugely intolerant; it definitely was in matters of class, gender, and religion but racially there was no divide. *Using a scribe, as most people did back then.

[@louisecross]

Fascinating

[@eatiegourmet1015]

Ok... @ 38:00 -- Is it mitochondrial DNA from mom's side that he has examined to point to the Mediterranean? Father could still be sub-saharan. Physical appearance could still be sub-saharan....

[@bettypendleton8043]

Another job well done 👏. Love how your team works so hard together . Enjoy all your films.

[@kalel311superman9]

i just found this channel this is interesting

[@elsiemarina2572]

Feels a bit wrong when they pull a tooth or drill the bones for anaylysis..Of course it cannot be done any other way.

[@joanneclarke771]

How are you going to “change understanding” of migration patterns on one individual?

[@waderaney7]

Sufferers of Asthma should transfer to live in Ipswitch,even while I was only staying in Ipswitch over a weekend a few months ago,I never used my blue pump,the air there is much more breathable than anywhere else😉

[@Cassxowary]

Not anymore I’m sure… but cities in general are problematic… I bet it’s nice overall though…

[@pamelaadam9207]

I find the opposite when I am down in that area. I can't wait to get back across the border

[@DelphineCingal]

I’m amazed

[@Mattipedersen]

21:02 It would appear that John Blanke was the Louis Armstrong of his time.

[@SA-wb1jb]

I wonder if the people living in those apartments know they're living on top of what was once a medieval burial site? Think that would make me a tad uneasy that things might start going "bump" in the night.

[@AnthonyOMulligan-yv9cg]

Mid Evil Ghosts?

[@mrstinkabell123]

I love these programmes. It's the sort of job I would have liked to have had but being 69, it's not going to happen any day soon! Great work.

[@tinachandler3091]

I work in a antibiotic IV outpatient department in a hospital and to see all these people coming in with abscesses/infections like what killed this man is just wow. I used to use this how to teach medical assistants

[@christinerossi3853]

Je suis passionnée par ces enquêtes, mais je suis française, j'ai besoin de sous titres, ou traduction en Français

[@paulinecastle1138]

Maybe he had joined a pilgrimage? Love Lawrence Fox’s voice, perfect

[@richardevppro3980]

Could this man already be Christian and fighting on the crusades and got a house and when he gets home he has trouble walking and gets helped by the Monk's until his death and his buried with the rest of the very ill people who probably in like an hospital run by the Monk's? It makes sense!

[@lisasmith7854]

I had gotten my DNA done and I'm 71% English, Irish,Scottish, Welsh, swedish and 1% African western (?) congo, banitu regions, DNA summary says mother's side, I'm so curious but have no clue on how to start. Any info would be appreciated

[@darrelld.paveyjr.1477]

What are these professionals doing now, they are wonderful presenter, I hope they have professorships somewhere.

[@deanavazquez2795]

While Tunisia is certainly part of the African continent , the term Mediterranean seems more appropriate for this man and for the rest of North Africans, for that matter. Tunisia was Carthage and a majority of those inhabitants later moved to Spain, Sicily and beyond. Its people are Mediterranean and would have appeared similar.

[@AnthonyOMulligan-yv9cg]

It is nice to believe that he had some level of care to ease his painful existence

[@phillykiki7320]

Mansa Musa was born after this but richer than anyone known alive even today

[@Cassxowary]

Was he though? Having money can be nice and all but that’s not what really matters

[@TheBulbul81]

It's amazing how they're figured it out where he came from.

[@Matescium]

nice invention

[@markpreston6012]

great series, interesting investigations. spoilt by poxy adverts. i dont buy anything from adverts that interupt what i'm watching, i bet you dont watch them either? wish companies would realise that

[@dianesevigny1381]

anyway of turning Closed caption and which herb was used.

[@anneonimous9306]

21:52 He says "the word Moor by itself means black" Er, no it doesn't mean that at all. It means Muslim. A Moor is an old English word to refer to a Muslim. Blackamoor means a Muslim who has black or dark skin.

[@monkiram]

I thought the same thing but I looked it up and apparently Moor on its own was also used to refer to Africans/black people not just Muslims. He's a historian so I'm sure he knows more than we do

[@WeavesWorldGlasgowGlaschu]

Anne Onimous most of Africa were Muslims and they carried out around the world. Timbuktu is in west Africa!

[@Cassxowary]

@@WeavesWorldGlasgowGlaschu wrong, that was, like Christianity, imposed upon them. There was a lot more villages in those days and they had their own beliefs. Not Islam or Christianity. And many if not most, still do.

[@Cassxowary]

And there’s places in the uk that have moor in the name, or are named moors (hills, if I remember right) so…

[@utej.k.bemsel4777]

Moor, in German Mohr means Maure, coming from Mauritania.

[@monkiram]

I wish they would have told us what the surname was. So curious

[@Cassxowary]

He might not have had one, it was still a new thing started in England roughly in the 11th century and he’s from the 13th

[@kiwimid]

Fingers crossed for Smith 😅

[@hollybug-76542]

​@kiwimid 😂😂😂 know many

[@suzannetevlin8439]

I don't believe Sue missed the abscess. She's too thorough.

[@suea5942]

You are correct. As the person who wrote the original report on the skeletons in 2009, I can confirm that the abscess in the spine of this individual had already been spotted well before this programme was made!

[@as-pz9ck]

@@suea5942 Why then would they set it up so it was a mistake? Sue Black seems a person of ethics and doesn't seem to be one who would follow a scripted storyline.

[@ah9025]

@@as-pz9ck that’s why she won’t make anymore of them ((:

[@elsakristina2689]

@@ah9025 I think I heard about her quitting this show because of it feeling too scripted at times

[@centrifugedestroyer2579]

Why can't my lab have those fancy colourful eppis?

[@safiremorningstar]

They should compare his features to that of the painting of King Henry VIII's favorite Hornblower.

[@bgreen7286]

Ashley mallet has lived in Australia for several years

[@AnthonyOMulligan-yv9cg]

Xante, and yes she has been here 10+

[@alisong2328]

Is the narrator the same guy who plays Hathaway on Inspector Lewis?

[@deewhite4346]

Yep it is lawrence fox narrating this .

[@sueaddison9958]

Me too! Betsy Hope

[@darreng6030]

I think people would watch these on a netflix or amazon prime type format if its not on there already it should be

[@Heisrisin3]

The opinion it was African was initially based on the width of the jaw alone? From what I was saying the naval cavity is far too narrow to be African.

[@Cassxowary]

No, obviously only a small part has been shown.

[@minasan6337]

Not necessarily the nasil cavity is very difficult to presume ethnic origin and can mainly only be used to determine age.(Not all africans have large nasil cavities hes most likely mixed with northern africa and some kind of southern europe)

[@hollybug-76542]

"He went ALL the way to Ipswitch." 😅😅

[@justifiablesorrow2207]

Do they have a channel on tv too or is it just utube?

[@thecaravan1]

it's was on tv in the uk, bbc 2.

[@christinerossi3853]

Please, traduction ou sous titre en français...une Fan

[@eleanoraquitaine2966]

Tunisians are caucasian or mixed. Beautiful man.

[@Cassxowary]

Yes, now, it might not have always been the case

[@Cassxowary]

But he was like the rest and all

[@user-tl6vs3so4p]

My great-great grandmother died from an abcessed tooth, sometime in the 1880s.

[@williamhiller3988]

People didn't discriminate on the basis skin color until the 17th century.

[@fionabryant7923]

Don't you believe it

[@williamhiller3988]

@@fionabryant7923 why not?

[@sandramace648]

Will his people know the people that were buried there where they found him

[@jameswoodard2232]

Why all the crashing and background noise?

[@lutkeone]

What is Pagets Disease? My grandfather suffered died from it. He was from Liverpool.

[@CDM1971]

Just looking it is disease of the bone most commonly occurs in the pelvis, skull, spine, legs a disease that disrupts the replacement of old bone tissue with new bone tissue

[@nillyk5671]

This needs subs for the hearing impaired.

[@pundle11]

It has subtitles …turn them on !

[@safiremorningstar]

Will they give him a proper burial even if he has no name.

[@AnthonyOMulligan-yv9cg]

Im thinking a blue's band on tour

[@meridien52681]

I think I sat next to him 57:18 on the Red Line El in Chicago the other day.

[@saintessa]

How do they determine how muscley someone was from their bones? I guess it changes the bones but how?

[@23Dawnay]

Can change the surface area of bones as in size and indentations.

[@ianallan8005]

The tendon attachment points leave marks on the bones. Bigger marks, stronger tendon, more muscle

[@susannamarker2582]

Undulating bone means big surface area.

[@elm100]

It is my belief (no scientific evidence so cue calls of 'you are racist'!) that there is no essential difference between today's peoples, those people born with a black skin is to protect them from the damaging effects of the very hot sun that those born/live in i.e. Africa are subject to, Mother Nature's way of looking after her precious people ...

[@eetadakimasu]

Please tell me they DNA typed this guy because the increase hapsburgs also had prominent jaws

[@dianeknight4839]

He certainly has some of the features of what I would call a 'Moor', I have only met the ones in Spain, they are quite beautiful with fine features, high cheek bones and a slim nose. They are also coal black almost like ebony. not brown like many Africans and West Indians we see today. I think this man may well have come to the UK through the Crusades but to me he looks more Egyptian, which of course is part of North Africa.

[@AnthonyOMulligan-yv9cg]

And Egypt has a very old Christian community in the Coptics. Coptics emigrated throughout the Commonwealth since forever.

[@mickvonbornemann3824]

Doesn’t the molecular internals of the teeth show where someone is raised?

[@ripadipaflipa4672]

Does anyone know what the Tom Cruise reference is about?

[@HLBear]

Strong jaw.

[@jonathanmarks7981]

Had to guess his skin tone?

[@Cassxowary]

And didn’t give him hair because that’s unknown too… some of it is guesswork

[@ar6985]

I think that not having Africans around England in the Middle Ages would be more shocking than their "discovery" that they were around.

[@AnthonyOMulligan-yv9cg]

?. How about East Asian's?

[@maggiemartino8167]

I'm surprised these scientists accepted as fact (for the better part of this episode) that the specimen was Sub-Saharan.

[@dblack8956]

First they insisted Sub-Saharan Africa, then concluded north Africa,

[@naughtyskyline]

reminds me of the african friar in the Last Kingdom series

[@jaycee5968]

He was a Templar

[@pamelaadam9207]

Potentially. Or a convert who then returned here with his comrades