3,000-year-old pharaonic whodunit/ 法醫沙利耶：國王的仵作After Liberté and Égalité, It’s Autopsie

 《中英對照讀新聞》Scientists solve 3,000-year-old pharaonic whodunit 科學家解開有3000年歷史的法老謀殺案

◎陳維真
An assassin slit the throat of Egypt’s last great pharaoh at the climax of a bitter succession battle, scientists said Monday in a report on a 3,000-year-old royal murder.
科學家週一公布長達3000年之久的王室謀殺案報告，指出埃及最後一位偉大的法老王在激烈的王位繼承爭奪戰高潮中，遭刺客割喉喪命。
Forensic technology suggests Ramses III, a king revered as a god, met his death at the hand of a killer, or killers, sent by his wife and ambitious son, they said.
科學家表示，鑑識技術顯示拉美西斯三世，一位被當作神祇般尊敬的國王，遭妻子與野心勃勃兒子派來的一名或多名殺手暗殺。
And a cadaver known as the "Screaming Mummy" could be that of the son himself, possibly forced to commit suicide after the plot, they added.
他們提到，名為「尖叫木乃伊」的遺骸，或許就是拉美西斯三世的兒子，可能在密謀殺父後被迫自殺。
Computed tomography（CT）imaging of the mummy of Ramses III shows that the pharaoh’s windpipe and major arteries were slashed, inflicting a wound 70 millimetres wide and reaching almost to the spine, the investigators said. The cut severed all the soft tissue on the front of the neck.
調查人員表示，電腦斷層掃描影像顯示，拉美西斯三世的氣管和主動脈遭劃開，出現70公釐寬的傷口，而且幾乎深至脊椎。這一刀割斷拉美西斯三世前頸所有軟組織。
"I have almost no doubt about the fact that Ramses III was killed by this cut in his throat," palaeopathologist Albert Zink of the EURAC Institute for Mummies and the Iceman in Italy told AFP.
義大利木乃伊與冰人研究院古病理學家辛克告訴法新社：「我幾乎能篤定說， 拉美西斯三世是遭割喉喪命。」
Ramses III, who ruled from about 1188 to 1155 BC, is described in ancient documents as the "Great God" and a military leader who defended Egypt.
拉美西斯三世在位時間約為西元前1188年至1155年 ，在古文件中被形容為「偉大的神」與捍衛埃及的軍方領袖。
He was about 65 when he died, but the cause of his death has never been clear. History shows, though, that the plotters failed to derail the line of succession. Ramses was succeeded by his chosen heir, his son Amonhirkhopshef.（AFP）
他去世時約為65歲，但死因不明。歷史顯示，圖謀打亂王位繼承者最後失敗，拉美西斯的王位還是由他選定的繼承人、他的兒子阿蒙赫霍謝夫繼承。（法新社）

新聞辭典
revere：動詞，崇敬、尊重、尊敬。例句：Mr. Holmes was revered for his great learning. （荷姆斯先生因為學識淵博受到崇敬。）
sever：動詞，割斷、斷絕。例句：The head was severed from the body.（頭和身體被切斷開來。）
derail：動詞，打亂（原訂計畫）。例句：The plot is seen by some as an attempt to derail the negotiations.（有些人認為這項陰謀企圖打亂談判。）


當面，陳首，仵，仵作行人

The Saturday Profile

After Liberté and Égalité, It’s Autopsie

By ELAINE SCIOLINO September 08, 2012

法醫沙利耶：國王的仵作

ELAINE SCIOLINO 報道 2012年09月08日

Caroline Delmotte for The New York Times

菲利普·沙利耶博士說，「無論是聖女貞德，還是警察從塞納河裡撈出來的一隻手，都同等重要。」 "Whether it's Joan of Arc or a hand the police bring in from the Seine, it's equally important." Dr. Philippe Charlier

法國加爾什——紅蓋的塑料小瓶是亨利四世(Henri IV)。藍蓋的塑料小瓶是沒有加冕的路易十七(Louis XVII)。
亨利二世最寵愛的情婦戴安娜·德普瓦捷(Diane de Poitiers)裝在幾英寸外的半透明矮瓶里。然後就是卡洛林王朝的國王查理三世(Charles III)，鎖在兩個黑色木質檔案櫃里。

GARCHES, France — The plastic vial with the red top is Henri IV. The one with the blue top is the never-crowned Louis XVII.
Diane de Poitiers, the favorite mistress of Henri II, sits in a squat translucent vial a few inches away. Then there is Charles III, one of the Carolingian kings, locked in two black wooden file cabinets.

按圖放大

Caroline Delmotte for The New York Times

沙利耶博士實驗室里放置的小瓶保存着古人遺骨的樣本，前排左起：亨利二世的情婦戴安娜·德普瓦捷、國王亨利四世，以及路易十七。

他們的遺體讓法國最著名的法醫偵探菲利普·沙利耶(Philippe Charlier)充滿激情——或者可以說是痴迷。
34歲的沙利耶是一位醫學博士兼人類學家。他上午解剖運到位於巴黎郊外加爾什的雷蒙·普安卡雷大學醫院(Raymond Poincaré University Hospital)的屍體，下午在巴黎第五大學(Paris Descartes University)教書。閑暇時間，他調查法國歷史上風雲人物的疾病和死因。
沙利耶博士把這些調查對象稱為自己的“病人”，用適用於今天的法醫案例的縝密方法研究歷史上的法醫學案件，而且為此自豪。他說，“無論是聖女貞德(Joan of Arc)還是警察從塞納河裡撈出來的一隻手，都同等重要。”
但是，沙利耶博士沒有把自己關在醫院實驗室的小房間里。為了普及他的發現，他出書、製作電視紀錄片、做廣播節目，這讓他贏得了“墓地印第安納·瓊斯”(Indiana Jones)的頭銜。
光是今年，他就出版了兩本書，一本關於歷史上重大罪案的秘密，另一本關於原始藝術中表現的疾病與死亡。
他的公眾形象已經招致了批評，有人說他對科學和名望的興趣一樣大。
他說自己對名望的追求動機是好的，“我希望與儘可能多的民眾分享自己所知的每一件事。我所做的不是淺薄的涉獵，而是知識的普及。”
今年五月，沙利耶博士開始分析從獅心王理查(Richard the Lionheart)的心臟中提取的微量樣本。理查的心臟目前保存在法國北部魯昂的古董博物館中。他是12世紀的英國君主，一次在法國的圍城戰役中被弩箭射傷，死於傷口感染，享年42歲。
沙利耶博士正在進行一些化學試驗來確定是什麼細菌導致了理查的死亡，同時他也希望對12世紀的屍體防腐術有更深的了解。當時經常由理髮師和廚師進行屍體防腐處理。（理查的屍體是用水銀防腐的。）
但是，沙利耶博士沒有被允許進行DNA測試。這也是英國人一直想做而不可得的。英國人一直想弄清理查的血緣世系。
沙利耶博士對於古人遺體的興趣源於他的童年。彼時他住在巴黎附近的塞納和馬恩省，參與了一座墨洛溫王朝(Merovingian)時期墓地的考古發掘。這座墓地可以追溯到公元5世紀到8世紀之間。他對考古學的愛好也來自於睡前母親念給他和妹妹的《荷馬史詩》。
此後的幾年中，他的發現經常讓他登上新聞頭條。
2007年，沙利耶博士領導的研究團隊確認，很久之前為羅馬天主教會(Roman Catholic Church)承認的聖女貞德骸骨殘片是偽造的，使用的材料來自一隻貓和一具古埃及木乃伊。貞德是一位少女戰士，因為殉道被封為聖人。
貞德聲稱受到神諭，帶領法國軍隊在奧爾良取得對英軍的勝利，幫助查理七世(Charles VII)重登王位。她後來被判為異教徒，並於1431年被英國人處以火刑，燒死在魯昂。
1867年，巴黎一座藥房閣樓里發現了一個罐子，上刻“奧爾良少女聖女貞德的火刑柱下找到的遺骸”。這個罐子隨後被保存在法國西部希農的博物館裡。
沙利耶博士的團隊檢測了罐子里的東西：一根人肋骨、少量顯得碳化了的木頭、一點麻布殘片和一根貓股骨。
碳年代測定顯示，這些“遺骨”來自於另一個年代：公元前6到3世紀之間。
讓·巴杜(Jean Patou)和嬌蘭(Guerlain)的香水師受邀幫忙確認遺骸的氣味。
化學分析顯示了松樹花粉的殘留物，很可能來自於木乃伊防腐處理中用到的松脂；而人肋骨和貓股骨上的黑色殘留物則是某種有機和礦物質混合物，不是燃燒的灰燼。
沙利耶博士猜測，遺骨可能是19世紀偽造的，也許是便於給貞德完成宣福禮，也就是封聖的第一步。他說，“藥房作假了。整件事都是偽造的，包括罐子和標籤。”
另一樁成功發生於2009年，沙利耶博士發現戴安娜·德普瓦捷很可能死於中毒，飲用了一種她認為可以保持容顏的藥劑。德普瓦捷擁有瓷器般的皮膚和碧藍的雙眸，這使她贏得16世紀歐洲最美麗女人的美譽。
然後到2010年，經過九個月的高級法醫學檢測，沙利耶博士和他的團隊確定，一顆部分得以保存的頭顱是亨利四世的。
亨利四世1610年遇刺身亡。他曾終結法國的宗教戰爭，承諾每個工作的法國人每周日“鍋里都有一隻雞”。亨利四世與許多情婦尋歡作樂，也曾下令建造了不少宏麗的偉大建築。
恐怖統治時期（Terror，指1793年9月5日到1794年7月28日的法國大革命中的雅各賓派專政時期——譯註），亨利四世和其他法國皇室在巴黎邊上聖德尼大教堂(Basilica of St.-Denis)內的墓穴遭到損毀。他的頭顱被盜，並作為紀念品保留。
1919年，一位古董商以三法郎的價格從德魯奧拍賣行(Drouot)買下這顆帶頭髮和鬍鬚，右耳垂穿過孔的頭顱。2008年，一位80多歲的法國人將其幾十年前買下的頭顱貢獻出來進行法醫學鑒定。
沙利耶團隊根據這顆頭顱骨用電腦重塑了亨利的臉部容貌，並與當時的畫像和亨利四世死後做的面部模型進行了比對。他們確認了亨利右鼻孔處的一小顆痣，一處痊癒的面部的刀傷，而且將殘留的頭髮和鬍鬚與畫像進行了比對。
在他工作的實驗室里，沙利耶博士開啟了編號為R01131的藍蓋小瓶，露出橘紅色的小顆粒：亨利四世的頸部肌肉。“看起來像藏紅花的顏色，不是嗎？”他說。
頭顱的監護權已經授予了亨利的一個後裔，路易·德波旁(Louis de Bourbon)；而頭顱本身則安放在巴黎一家銀行的保險庫內。
沙利耶博士的夢想是獲准打開法國皇室的大墓葬。這些皇室殘骸從他們在聖德尼大教堂地下室的大理石墓穴中取出，並封存在同一個地下室內。自1817年始，這個地下室都一直保持密封狀態。
他說，“我已經向法國政府提出了請求，希望得到幫助。我們可以從中知道他們的很多事情，他們如何生活、染病和死亡。而且，他們的骸骨應當回家。”

本文最初發表於2012年7月6日。
翻譯：黃錚

Their remains are the passion — or perhaps obsession — of Philippe Charlier, France’s most famous forensic sleuth.
A 34-year-old medical doctor and anthropologist, he conducts autopsies on bodies brought to the Raymond Poincaré University Hospital in the Paris suburb of Garches by morning and teaches at Paris Descartes University by afternoon. In between, he investigates the illnesses and deaths of the rich and powerful who made French history.
He refers to these subjects as his patients, and he prides himself on using the same rigorous methods as he would on current forensic cases. “Whether it’s Joan of Arc or a hand the police bring in from the Seine, it’s equally important,” he said.
But Dr. Charlier does not confine himself to his closet of a laboratory at the hospital here. He writes books, makes television documentaries and does radio broadcasts to popularize his findings, which has earned him the title of “Indiana Jones of the graveyards.”
This year alone he has published two books, one on secrets of the great crimes of history, another on sickness and death in primitive art.
His public persona has brought criticism from those who complain he is as interested in fame as in science.
He says his pursuit of fame is well intentioned: “I want to share everything I know with the greatest number of people. What I do is not dilettantism; it’s intellectual vulgarization.”
In May, he began work on dust fragments taken from the heart of Richard the Lionheart, which is kept in the antiquities museum of Rouen in northern France. Richard, the 12th-century British monarch, died at 42 of an infected crossbow wound sustained in a siege of a French castle.
Dr. Charlier is conducting chemical tests to determine what germ killed Richard and to learn more about 12th-century embalming, which was often carried out by barbers and cooks. (Richard was embalmed using mercury).
But Dr. Charlier was not allowed to conduct DNA testing — to discourage persistent requests by Britons who have long sought to establish blood ties to Richard.
Dr. Charlier became interested in historical remains as a child in Seine-et-Marne, near Paris, when he participated in an archaeological dig of a Merovingian cemetery dating from sometime between the fifth and eighth centuries. His love of archaeology also stemmed from Homer, which his mother read to him and his sister at bedtime.
Over the years, he has often grabbed headlines with his findings.
In 2007, he led a team of researchers who determined that bone fragments accepted by the Roman Catholic Church long ago as those of Joan of Arc, a virgin-warrior-martyr-saint, were forgeries — taken from a cat and an ancient Egyptian mummy.
Joan, who claimed divine guidance in leading the French army to victory over the British at Orléans and helping to restore Charles VII to the throne, was condemned as a heretic and burned at the stake by the British in Rouen in 1431.
In 1867, a jar was discovered in the attic of a Paris apothecary bearing the inscription, “Remains found under the stake of Joan of Arc, Maid of Orléans.” It was subsequently kept in a museum in Chinon, in western France.
Dr. Charlier’s team examined the jar’s contents: a human rib, bits of apparently carbonized wood, a fragment of linen and a cat femur.
Carbon dating revealed that the “relics” came from another era: sometime between the sixth and third centuries B.C.
Perfumers at Jean Patou and Guerlain were called in to help identify scents.
Chemical analysis showed residues of pine pollen, probably from resin used in embalming mummies; the black residues on the rib and the cat femur were left by a mixture of organic and mineral matter, not burning.
Dr. Charlier speculated that the relics were faked in the 19th century, perhaps to support the process of Joan’s beatification, the first step toward sainthood. “The apothecary lied,” he said. “The whole thing was a forgery: the jar, the label.”
Another coup, in 2009, was to discover that Diane de Poitiers, whose porcelain skin and blue eyes earned her the reputation as the most beautiful woman in Europe in the 16th century, probably poisoned herself by drinking a potion that she thought would preserve her looks.
Then in 2010, after nine months of advanced forensic tests, Dr. Charlier and his team identified a partly preserved severed head as that of Henri IV.
Henri IV, who was assassinated in 1610, ended France’s wars of religion, promised to put “a chicken in the pot” of every working Frenchman on Sundays, cavorted with many mistresses and ordered the building of beautiful monuments.
His grave was also desecrated during the Terror — along with the other tombs of France’s royalty in the Basilica of St.-Denis just outside Paris — and his head was stolen and kept as a souvenir.
The head, complete with hair, beard and pierced right earlobe, was bought for three francs by an antiques dealer at the Drouot auction house in 1919. A Frenchman in his 80s who had bought it decades ago offered it for forensic examination in 2008.
The Charlier team used computers to recreate Henri’s face from the skull and compared it with contemporary portraits and a death mask. They identified a small mole over his right nostril and a healed facial stab wound and matched the remnants of hair and beard to those of portraits.
In the laboratory where he works, Dr. Charlier opened the blue-topped vial numbered R01131 to reveal red-orange flecks: samples of Henri IV’s cervical muscles. “Looks like saffron, no?” he said.
A descendant of Henri, Louis de Bourbon, has been given custody of the head; the head itself is in a Paris bank vault for safekeeping.
Dr. Charlier’s dream is to gain access to the mass grave of the remains of France’s royals, which were taken from their marble tombs in the basement of the St.-Denis basilica and preserved in a single vault. It has remained sealed since 1817.
“I have petitioned the French state for help,” he said. “We could learn so much about them, how they lived, became ill, died. And their bones deserve to go home.”