Student Transcribes 500-Year-Old Musical Score from Hieronymus Bosch's 'Garden of Earthly Delights'

A musical notation inscribed on a tortured figure's buttocks in Hieronymus Bosch's 'The Garden of Earthly Delights' was transcribed and recorded by Amelia Hamrick, a student at Oklahoma Christian University, in February 2014. Hamrick interpreted the score using modern notation, assuming the second staff line represented C, typical for chants of the era. She performed the piece on instruments including a lute, harp, and hurdy-gurdy, posting a recording titled 'The 500-Year-Old Butt Song from Hell' on her Tumblr blog. The video quickly gained viral attention, amassing 200,000 views and leading to an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper. Bosch's triptych, created between 1490 and 1510, is housed at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain, and is renowned for its intricate and mysterious imagery. The artwork depicts the Garden of Eden on one panel, a hellscape on another, and a central scene blending fantastical elements. Hamrick later reflected that she might have chosen a more formal name for the musical discovery.