Man makes life-sized dolls from human corpses

[Cain]

Russia, of course

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15653074

A suspected grave robber in the central Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod is said by police to have made 29 life-size dolls from mummified female corpses.

Local historian and cemetery explorer Anatoly Moskvin, 45, was arrested last week by police investigating a spate of grave desecrations in the area.

The brightly dressed dolls, their faces and limbs covered in cloth, were found in his flat and garage, police said.

It was not clear whether each doll contained a set of human remains.

Police are now trying to establish the identity of the mummified remains.

They said they had been investigating "numerous" grave desecrations in cemeteries in and around Nizhny Novgorod since last year.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Oh, wow. 

[Freeky]

+

[Phox]

Wowee. 

[East Coast Hustle]

Russia, of course

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15653074

A suspected grave robber in the central Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod is said by police to have made 29 life-size dolls from mummified female corpses.

Local historian and cemetery explorer Anatoly Moskvin, 45, was arrested last week by police investigating a spate of grave desecrations in the area.

The brightly dressed dolls, their faces and limbs covered in cloth, were found in his flat and garage, police said.

It was not clear whether each doll contained a set of human remains.

Police are now trying to establish the identity of the mummified remains.

They said they had been investigating "numerous" grave desecrations in cemeteries in and around Nizhny Novgorod since last year.

Admittedly the lesser of two Nizhnys (in the horrormirth sense), but still explains alot.

[Cain]

You mean Nizhny Tagil?

[Triple Zero]

Now I had to think of the word "Novgorod" appearing in some children's song I learned in school when I was 10, or something sounding a lot like it, but as it turns out that's the same of some Russian city or district or something.

... we learned some weird ass foreign songs in those days. I (partly) remember at least two or three with distinctly Eastern-European sounding words. Though one of them might also simply have been actual non-language nonsense words. I really liked the ones with nonsense words.

now I remember we also learned a British one that basically was the text on a warning sign next to the emergency brakes put to a melody: To stop / the train / in cases of / emergency / pull on the chai-ain / pull on the chai-ain / penalty for improper use / five pounds which is still hilarious every time I think about it, is that a well-known Children's song in the UK?

[Cain]

I've never heard it, but a lot of British cultural allusions and traditions do pass me by.

And there is indeed a Russian city called Novgorod, which is distinct from Nizhny Novgorod, and is of some cultural and historical importance to the Russian people, as it was the capital of the Kievan Rus, and the Novgorod Republic.  It was also, remarkably, one of the most civilised states in the world at the time, with effective rule of law and limits on cruel and unusual punishment, a level of gender equality remarkable for the period etc.  Also, Alexander Nevsky is a popular prince of Novgorod for those looking to whip up nationalistic fervour against western powers, given his role in defeating a Swedish invasion force (though the historical record on that is far from clear).