Local
or Legionary asks the notice next to four archaeological exhibits two
skulls and two heads in The Trimontium Museum Melrose Scotland
A
silent face recreated from out of an excavation at Trimontium Fort,
bones left in a possible rush maybe discarded, or revered given a
voice from modern testing.
Yorick,
no, alas this is not a known individual. Hamlet to the skull of Yorik
state he was, “a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy;
he hath borne me on his back a thousand times;... Here hung those
lips that I have kissed I know not how oft. Where be your gibes now?
Your gambols? Your songs? Your flashes of merriment, that were wont
to set the table on a roar?” William Shakespeare in his play Hamlet
druring Act V Scene i has Hamlet remember the Jester and can see his
memory align with the skull so famously brought to light and
theatrical acclaim as new grave being dug discovers the fleshless
head of Yorick.
The
flesh has been put back on this skull now in The Trimontium Museum
with scientific exact reconstruction. My quickly taken pictures are
not accurate representations of the exhibits and have no relevance,
or reflection of the superb work completed.
This
skull excavated from deep within a pit inside the Roma Fort of
Trimontium ask questions that may never be answered and it is also
the source of modern examination and scientific revelation. The
information given in the exhibit states that a tooth from this find
has shown that the individual was between 35-46 years old and he
lived locally from around Moffat in Scotland just South of Trimontium
Fort site and also South of the Trimontium Museum.
©
PHH Sykes 2025
phhsykes@gmail.com
Trimontium
Museum, Melrose,
Discover the fort at the heart of Roman
Scotland with Trimontium Museum!
https://www.trimontium.co.uk/
The
following is
from
https://hub.catalogit.app/trimontium-museum/folder/9ada1330-a68c-11ef-ab2b-4d14608fffba
“Name/Title
Skull Reconstruction
Entry/Object
ID E.2023.13
Description
Fully reconstructed head of skull found in pit at Trimontium.
Use
The purpose of this reconstruction was done to give a face and
partial identity to the individual's skull found during the 1905 -
1910 excavations at Trimontium by James Curle. The reconstruction was
carried out by Professor Caroline Wilkinson in 2003. His skeleton
was found almost erect with a spearhead by his side. It has been
speculated whether he was a Roman soldier or a native, in which case
he might have adorned the ramparts as a warning to the enemy, a
practice which can be seen in such places as Trajan's column in Rome.
Further
DNA analysis of the skull was carried out recently and results will
be published soon.
Collection
Trimontium Trust
Category
Skeletal Remains
Human
remains Made/Created
Artist
Information Artist Caroline Wilkinson
Role
Sculptor
Condition
Overall Condition Good
Synton
Hoard
Object/Artifact
-
Trimontium
M”
https://hub.catalogit.app/trimontium-museum
The
Trimontium Trust &
Museum
https://www.facebook.com/TheTrimontiumTrust?locale=ne_NP
“A
man found down a well - these images show the facial reconstruction
by Professor Caroline Wilkinson taken from the skull of a man found
in one of the pits at Trimontium. He might be a Roman soldier &
his skeleton was found almost erect with a spearhead by his side.”
https://www.facebook.com/TheTrimontiumTrust/photos/pcb.1067369227055750/1067369133722426/?type=3&eid=ARCttX_qiBiYZ8KQ7Rzm68ILXeoPed-lh64V4ujShABzbM2WIxh63S9Qyw8jO-0ZCxnjYTXZLymXa-aZ&locale=ne_NP&_rdr
Yorick
“The
name Yorick has been interpreted as an attempt to render a
Scandinavian forename: usually either Eric or Jørg, a form of the
name George.[3] The name Rorik has also been suggested, as Saxo
Grammaticus wrote that this was the grandfather of Amleth, who served
as the inspiration for Hamlet.[4] Alternative suggestions include the
ideas that it may be derived from the Old Norse name of the city of
York (Jórvík),[5] or that it is a near-anagram of the Greek word
Kyrios and thus a reference to the Catholic martyr Edmund
Campion.[6]”
“David Tennant used the cranium of pianist
André Tchaikowsky for Yorick's skull in a 2008 Royal Shakespeare
Company production.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yorick
André
Tchaikowsky
“Tchaikowsky
died of colon cancer at the age of 46 in Oxford.[1][7] In his will he
left his body to medical research, and donated his skull to the Royal
Shakespeare Company, asking that it be used as a prop on stage.[8]
Tchaikowsky hoped that his skull would be used for the skull of
Yorick in productions of Hamlet.[9] For many years, no actor or
director felt comfortable using a real skull in performances,
although it was occasionally used in rehearsals. In 2008, the skull
was finally held by David Tennant in a series of performances of
Hamlet at the Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon.[10]
After
the use of Tchaikowsky's skull was revealed in the press, this
production of Hamlet moved to the West End and the RSC announced that
they would no longer use Tchaikowsky's skull (a spokesman said that
it would be "too distracting for the audience").[11]
However, this was a deception; in fact, the skull was used throughout
the production's West End run, and in a subsequent television
adaptation broadcast on BBC2.[12] Director Gregory Doran said, "André
Tchaikowsky's skull was a very important part of our production of
Hamlet, and despite all the hype about him, he meant a great deal to
the company."[12]”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andr%C3%A9_Tchaikowsky
