Senator
11-04-2003, 05:54 AM
ROME (Reuters) - The 14th century Italian poet Francesco Petrarch left hundreds of letters detailing his life and thoughts. Now scientists plan to dig up his remains to find out more about his flesh and bones.
Researchers will open the poet's marble casket this month in Arqua Petrarca, a village in northern Italy where he died in 1374 and that was renamed for him. They will scrutinize his remains for clues on his physical appearance and health record.
"If the remains are in good condition, we will be able to find out what Petrarch looked like, his height and girth, and also his illnesses," Vito Terribile Wiel Marin, professor of pathological anatomy at the University of Padua, told Reuters on Monday.
Petrarch became famous for the hundreds of love poems he wrote to the mysterious Laura, a woman he worshipped from afar. For her, the poet perfected the sonnet form that would influence William Shakespeare and myriad others.
Researchers will open the poet's marble casket this month in Arqua Petrarca, a village in northern Italy where he died in 1374 and that was renamed for him. They will scrutinize his remains for clues on his physical appearance and health record.
"If the remains are in good condition, we will be able to find out what Petrarch looked like, his height and girth, and also his illnesses," Vito Terribile Wiel Marin, professor of pathological anatomy at the University of Padua, told Reuters on Monday.
Petrarch became famous for the hundreds of love poems he wrote to the mysterious Laura, a woman he worshipped from afar. For her, the poet perfected the sonnet form that would influence William Shakespeare and myriad others.