Kosmo Posted October 25, 2012 Report Share Posted October 25, 2012 An epic rant by David Mitchell about archaeologists finding the remains of Richard III Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crispina Posted October 26, 2012 Report Share Posted October 26, 2012 Ok. Dumb question - how did they know it was him? WAS there a headstone, what identified his body (bones)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melvadius Posted October 26, 2012 Report Share Posted October 26, 2012 So far it is a set of circumstantial evidence. Firstly the location of his body has long been known but the location of the burial has been beneath a car park - only recently was permission granted to excavate and the precise location targeted by comparison with ancient maps. The location of the burial within the choir of the Greyfriars church is suggestive of a high status burial while the fact the skeleton found shows evidence for a medical condition which would make one shoulder sit higher than the other suggestive of being hunch backed in addition the skeleton had an arrow in its back. The full list of reasons are: Five reasons were given: the body was of an adult male; it was buried beneath the choir of the church; there was scoliosis of the spine, possibly making one shoulder higher than the other (to what extent would depend on the severity of the condition). In addition, there was an arrowhead embedded in the spine; and there were perimortem injuries to the skull. Dr. Jo Appleby, the archaeologist who discovered the skeleton, described the latter as "a mortal battlefield wound in the back of the skull" Further laboratory tests, including DNA comparisons, are planned to verify the identification. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crispina Posted October 27, 2012 Report Share Posted October 27, 2012 Thanks, great info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhostOfClayton Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 There's a Channel 4 documentary on tonight (Monday 4th Feb 2013) at 2100 (GMT) all about this interesting find. Hopefuly, it will answer more questions than it raises. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhostOfClayton Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 Addendum: For those of you not able to receive UK TV stations like Channel 4 on your TVs, try www.tvcatchup.com. I'd be interested to know if you're able gain access. I've used the iPhone App abroad, but it may know that I'm a UK resident/TV Licence Fee payer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maladict Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 DNA tests have confirmed it's Richard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 (edited) Oh great. They can identify a king killed in battle in the middle ages but can't be bothered to find the villain who vandalised my car in an age of databases, criminal records, more CCTV cameras than anywhere else in the world, and a government keen on restoring law and order with rights for victims? Tell David Mitchell to go away and tell a few jokes about justice. You never know, it might do some good, besides earning him a few quid. Not that I feel like having a rant you understand. Or that I place values on material possessions. This is the Age of Aquarius after all. Let's be a new age communal society and share our transport with the local community. Why not? It's going to happen anyway. (deep breath) Okay, I feel better now. How fascinating that Kind Richard III has been identified. At least he'll get a decent burial. Edited February 4, 2013 by caldrail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crispina Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 Addendum: For those of you not able to receive UK TV stations like Channel 4 on your TVs, try www.tvcatchup.com. I'd be interested to know if you're able gain access. I've used the iPhone App abroad, but it may know that I'm a UK resident/TV Licence Fee payer. I bookmarked that site, Ghost, will see if I can watch the programming. Hope so! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crispina Posted February 5, 2013 Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 Addendum: For those of you not able to receive UK TV stations like Channel 4 on your TVs, try www.tvcatchup.com. I'd be interested to know if you're able gain access. I've used the iPhone App abroad, but it may know that I'm a UK resident/TV Licence Fee payer. I bookmarked that site, Ghost, will see if I can watch the programming. Hope so! Nope. Not available for my country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melvadius Posted February 5, 2013 Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 Some good archaeology even if probably not what I would term the 'greatest archaeological story of the year' as some reports would have it - simply very good research and a lot of luck since the remains had survived Victorian building work. I tend to reserve that term for discoveries where archaeologists are making finds working with a lot less information. Personally I liked the reports that the archaeologists found Richard III by following a hunch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryaxis Hecatee Posted February 5, 2013 Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 Look also http://timesonline.typepad.com/dons_life/2013/02/richard-of-york-gave-battle-in-vain.html for some reflexions on the discovery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhostOfClayton Posted February 6, 2013 Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 Personally I liked the reports that the archaeologists found Richard III by following a hunch ;)/> Yikes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted February 6, 2013 Report Share Posted February 6, 2013 Having just watched Prime Ministers Question Time, I was also amused to hear a minister ask, in the light of changes and crackdowns on benefit fraud, whether Richard III had been declared unfit to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.