The Moetal Remains of Swedenboeg 87 



of the skeleton, is carefully taken out, beginning with the head-end of the coffin. 

 In this mass of wooden crumhs are found numerous loosely lying, small pieces 

 of hone, all more or less decayed, some of which have evidently belonged to 

 the ribs, others to cervical vertebrae and to the breast-bone. These small bony 

 parts are taken out, while the larger, comparatively well preserved parts of the 

 skeleton are for the present left in position with careful avoidance of disturb- 

 ing them. 



13) After the skeleton has in this way been exposed as to its whole length 

 with the exception of the feet, it is photographed in situ. 



14) The feet are for a length of from 12 to 16 cm. covered by remaining, 

 still coherent rests of thin, folded cloth (the shroud ?J. In the loose mass at the 

 head-end are discovered, upon closer examination, larger and smaller pieces of 

 cloth: on some of these pieces one finds adherent, slender, hair-like bunches 

 (parts of a wig?). ['] Under these is found a thin pillow of loose stuff with 

 thin, fibre-like padding, resting upon a layer of a rather firm, brownish-black 

 mass of wooden fragments, about 10 cm. thick, and extending to the bottom 

 of the coffin. On the upper side of this pillow is seen a small depression, which 

 was possibly caused by the back part of the head in its original position after 

 the burial. 



15) Besides the smaller remains of bones, separately mentioned in point 

 12, which were removed at the uncovering of the skeleton, are also observed a 

 piece of bone, which corresponds to the dens epistrophei, and another which con- 

 stitutes the angulus mentalis of the lower Jawbone and the adjacent portion of the 

 ramus horizontalis of both sides, but particularly of the left side. Among these 

 fragments of bone are also found remains of the bodies of five cervical vertebrae, 

 but, on the contrary, no recognizable parts of the first cervical vertebra, nor 

 of the collar-bones. All the skeletal remains found at the head-end of the 

 coffin down towards its middle part are exceedingly porous, brittle and 

 tending to fall apart, excepting only the skull, which, as stated above, is in a 

 rather well preserved condition. 



16j The remaining skeletal parts have the following positions. Of the 

 spine there is found in the middle line of the coffin a row of 13 vertebrae lying 

 together in their natural position, and consisting of the dorsal vertebrae and 

 the lowest cervical vertebra, the last, however, lacking its body. Close beside a 

 great many^of the dorsal vertebrae lie in the natural position fragments of the 

 ribs. Both shoulder-blades also lie in their natural position. Stretched along 

 the right side of the body, which rests on its back, lies the right arm with the 

 condyle in natural position towards the shoulder-blade. The bones of the right 

 hand lie apart, but only slightly displaced from their natural position. The right 

 innominate bone and the bones of both lower extremities lie in their natural 

 position. The skeletal parts of the legs and the feet are strikingly firm and well 

 preserved. The left innominate bone, with its posterior surface turned upwards, 

 and the incomplete left ulna, lie displaced from their natural position towards 



^ [Comp, page 30.] 



