Episode 29o - Egil's Saga (Part 15)

 

 In this episode, we finally put Egil Skallagrimsson to rest. But before he goes, Egil still has a few tricks up his gold-embroidered sleeve. He's got plans for those two chests of silver given to him by King Athelstan of England. Then, after shuffling off this mortal coil, Egil's bones leave a lasting legacy that has people of the 12th century and modern archaeologists, physicians, and medievalists talking. We discuss those bones and the now popular theory that Egil may have suffered from Paget's Disease of the Bone. John the possibility of Egil's impairment from a disability studies perspective and even makes a noteworthy addition to the theory. Andy remains skeptical of a diagnosis based on a 13th century literary character and the reported assumptions of 12th century Icelanders after finding some bones they thought a bit odd looking. Finally, in true saga fashion, we take a brief look at Egil's descendants. They're a worthy bunch who leave their mark on medieval Iceland's history.

If you're interested in reading more about Egil and Paget's Disease, we recommend the following open access articles:

"Egil's Bones" by Jesse Byock

"Egill Skallagrímsson: The first case of Van Buchem disease?" by P Stride

Music Credits:

Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Review Music – "Pepper Pot One Step" by National Promenade Band

Poetry Music - "Valravn" by Danheim

Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Selections from music by Kevin MacLeod licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/