The Straight Dope 12/03/2004

The Straight Dope -- By Cecil Adams
http://www.straightdope.com

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THE STRAIGHT DOPE 12/03/2004

Dear Cecil:

Can a person request to be buried in his backyard rather than a
cemetery? A guy in West Virginia said in June that he planned to be
buried in his yard; the city council had to pass a new law to prevent
it. I say a person (in California, where I live) can be buried anywhere
he wants as long as he complies with health department laws, even if it
is in his yard (front, back, or side). --Barry, via e-mail

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Cecil replies:

You'd think a state as out-there as California wouldn't get twitchy over
a little thing like backyard burials, but you'd be wrong. California
prohibits disposal of human remains (except cremated ashes) anywhere
other than in a cemetery, making it one of the most restrictive
jurisdictions in the country. This may disappoint those looking forward
to interment under the swing set, but don't despair--there's a loophole.
In California law one definition of a cemetery is "a place where six or
more human bodies are buried," full stop. A construction like that
invites enterprise. I suggest nothing; I merely point out that the state
is going to be looking for six bodies. How they get there is up to
you.

For more, see:
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/041203.html

STAFF REPORT

Dear Straight Dope:

Did Vikings really have horns on their helmets? --Thad in San Antonio

SDSTAFF bibliophage replies:

No self-respecting Viking warrior ever wore a horned helmet in battle--
they weren't that dumb. As anyone who has done any slaughtering can tell
you, horns provide nothing more than a good handhold to steady your work
while you're busy slitting someone's throat. Nor did Viking warriors
wear wings on their helmets, as they were commonly depicted doing before
the horned image took over. Popular belief to the contrary isn't
entirely baseless, though. Historical and archaeological evidence
indicates that priests among the Norse and earlier Germanic peoples did
wear headgear with horns (but not wings) in religious ceremonies.
Furthermore, the ancient Celts wore helmets with wings (or other weird
stuff), also for ceremonial purposes. The use of horned headdress in
religious ceremonies wasn't limited to Germans and Celts--there are
dozens of examples from around the world dating back to the earliest
civilizations. 

For more, see: 
http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mhornedhelmet.html

STRAIGHT DOPE CLASSIC - 11/20/1987

Dear Cecil: 

I've read that a respectable number of disrespectable popes in the early
Roman Catholic Church had illegitimate children. I understand that many
of these children became cardinals in the church, some eventually
ascending to the papal throne with infallibility. Does the Catholic
Church officially acknowledge these transgressions, and, if so, how does
it rationalize them? Also, is there any truth to the scandalous story of
an ancient pope's bastard daughter disguising herself as a man, becoming
a respected cardinal in the church, and finally getting elected pope by
his/her peers--only to be stoned to death by an angry Roman crowd that
discovered "him" hiding an advanced pregnancy under those heavy velvet
robes? --Jeffrey R., Madison, Wisconsin

Dear Jeffrey:

A lot of the rumors about the "bad popes" are true, but let's not get
ridiculous. The female pope story is generally regarded as a fabrication.
"Pope Joan," who supposedly served from 855 to 858, was said to be an
Englishwoman who disguised herself as a monk to be with her cleric
boyfriend. She went to Rome, where she so impressed others with her 
learning that she was elected pope. Her secret was discovered when she
gave birth during a procession, whereupon she was slain. The story is false,
although it was possibly inspired by actual events, about which more in a 
moment. 

For more, see:
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_139.html

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