3rd February 2009, 11:41 AM
As someone who has worked in the past on extracting genetic information from human bone, I do find the whole debate rather interesting. Just one thought to be starting with... and I don't want to get into the ethics of reburial arguement here:
To actually get the genetic information (genomic and/or ribosomal DNA) out of bone (or tissue for that matter) involves quite a few very, very destructive techniques that, I'm sure, the Druids wouldn't be very happy about. Yes, there are non-invasive methods to test genetic markers, but on the whole these do not provide enough depth in study. More in-depth searches for genetic information requires more in-depth analysis... to the point of destruction (and dare I say sacrilege!). In the dim and distant past, I've used a Black 'n' Decker drill on someones' ribs, skull and leg bones to firstly scrub the bone to remove possible contaminants (ie the diggers / palaeopathologists DNA) and then to actually get enough bone dust to make a viable sample for DNA testing and futher amplification (though Polymerase Chain Reaction). In order to prepare for this, I'd have to literally boil the bone dust (ie ex-person) in sooped-up chemicals to extract the DNA, then zap it with a number of other chemicals and ultra-violet light to see it. This was done on a number of individuals - a range from prehistoric pagans (or whatever), Roman pagans and yes (I will surely burn in hell for this... if I actually believed in hell that is) Medieval Christians.
Now, in order for the Druids to argue genetic closeness to their ancestors through DNA analysis, they should be aware of the rather 'un-natural' or 'unsympathetic' methods used to provide their information... in the very recent past, an archaeologists / molecular biologist (ie me) HAD to be sacreligious in order to provide them the genetic ammunition they so easily shoot off. Furthermore... just what sacreligion did the archaeologist / biologist commit? Mine, theirs or the Druids?
I don't have a religious bone in my body. But I DO have respect for the dead. On excavating burials, I'd try to treat each skeleton with respect... down to the point of even talking to them (saying hello and good morning / afternoon)! They were people once.
Whenever I did the analysis (drilling and boiling) it was with whatever sense of 'respect' and 'reverence' I could summon up... certainly it was NOT done with a sense of "Yay! I am Dr. Death!". The way I looked at it was... "someone could be drilling into me in a few hundred years time. I hope they treat me with some form of reverence, but also find something useful in me old bones!".
To actually get the genetic information (genomic and/or ribosomal DNA) out of bone (or tissue for that matter) involves quite a few very, very destructive techniques that, I'm sure, the Druids wouldn't be very happy about. Yes, there are non-invasive methods to test genetic markers, but on the whole these do not provide enough depth in study. More in-depth searches for genetic information requires more in-depth analysis... to the point of destruction (and dare I say sacrilege!). In the dim and distant past, I've used a Black 'n' Decker drill on someones' ribs, skull and leg bones to firstly scrub the bone to remove possible contaminants (ie the diggers / palaeopathologists DNA) and then to actually get enough bone dust to make a viable sample for DNA testing and futher amplification (though Polymerase Chain Reaction). In order to prepare for this, I'd have to literally boil the bone dust (ie ex-person) in sooped-up chemicals to extract the DNA, then zap it with a number of other chemicals and ultra-violet light to see it. This was done on a number of individuals - a range from prehistoric pagans (or whatever), Roman pagans and yes (I will surely burn in hell for this... if I actually believed in hell that is) Medieval Christians.
Now, in order for the Druids to argue genetic closeness to their ancestors through DNA analysis, they should be aware of the rather 'un-natural' or 'unsympathetic' methods used to provide their information... in the very recent past, an archaeologists / molecular biologist (ie me) HAD to be sacreligious in order to provide them the genetic ammunition they so easily shoot off. Furthermore... just what sacreligion did the archaeologist / biologist commit? Mine, theirs or the Druids?
I don't have a religious bone in my body. But I DO have respect for the dead. On excavating burials, I'd try to treat each skeleton with respect... down to the point of even talking to them (saying hello and good morning / afternoon)! They were people once.
Whenever I did the analysis (drilling and boiling) it was with whatever sense of 'respect' and 'reverence' I could summon up... certainly it was NOT done with a sense of "Yay! I am Dr. Death!". The way I looked at it was... "someone could be drilling into me in a few hundred years time. I hope they treat me with some form of reverence, but also find something useful in me old bones!".