AHPC XV Skull Duel, Canto IV

You will recall that in the 16th century the Franciscans had hidden Dante's remains in Ravenna to prevent the Florentines acquiring them. The bones were re-housed into a different box in the 17th century, and then returned to their original sarcophagus in the 18th century. They were re-hidden during the French revolutionary period of the early 19th century- and then forgotten.

The lost box, marked OSSA DANTIS (Dante's bones), was fortuitously found in 1865. Doctors who studied the bones noted, among other missing parts, the absence of his jawbone and teeth.The bones were subsequently returned to his sarcophagus after a period of public display, where some people tried to steal mementos.

OSSA DANTIS

During WW2, the fascist government considered an operatic last stand in the Alps, and wanted to move Dante's remains with them for the nationalist symbolism. This dramatic finale did not transpire.

The Valtellina Redoubt. A what-if scenario!
(Riotforlife, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

At risk from allied bombs, Dante's remains were nevertheless moved into a protective burial mound in March 1943. There were fifty-two allied bombing raids on Ravenna, which was liberated in November 1944. 937 Commonwealth soldiers are buried there. Dante's body returned to his sarcophagus, again, in December 1945.

Skull Tally

• TeemuL 177
• DavidB 95
• JohnS 63
• PeterB 54
• Curt 49
• MikeW 39
• QuinnM 12
• Barks 12
• PeteF 11
• DallasE 8
• GregB 8
• Millsy 6
• BruceR 3

Movement at the top as Teemu skyrockets into the lead, and JohnS joins the fray. I, too, have finally got some skullz on the board.

Teemu's trick is to paint lots of skullz

SteveM has some lovely skellies.

Pirates and skullz really go together. BrianC

BruceR takes a skull for a walk.

Sylvain also has emotional support skullz.

SteveA proves grimdark needs skullz

Skull of the Week:

JohnS's Slaughterloo Krautians

JohnS

To enter, tag your post with 'Skull Duel' and state in the post both how many skullz you have painted, and what your running total is. Feel free to enter the duel at any time in the Challenge.