With the support of historians, the University of Leicester's archaeologists identified a possible location of the monastery as the car park for Leicester City Council's Social Services department. However as Richard Buckley, Head of the University of Leicester's Archaeology Services tells the programme: "...the chance of finding Richard was, I don't know, a million to one." Yet the dig commenced and on the very first day a male skeleton was discovered - which careful examination would later reveal to have curvature of the spine and battle injuries including a head wound.This will air on Feb 4.
For the last three months, the remains has been subjected to some of the most cutting edge technology and forensic testing in existence - with Channel 4 capturing every moment. In specialist labs in Leicester and across the country, the bones have been subjected to CT scans, they have been carbon-dated, DNA has been extracted to be compared to that of one his living descendants, the source of the spinal curvature has been investigated - and the entire body has been subjected to rigorous testing to reveal blow-by-blow how this individual died and how he was buried.
Perhaps most fascinating of all, using technology developed to identify human remains in crime investigations, scientists have been busily re-creating the face these bones belong to - this image will be revealed exclusively in the programme the night it airs. And of course, Richard III: The King in the Car Park will reveal the results of what could be one of the most astonishing archaeological discoveries in recent history - whether England's missing king has indeed been recovered.
January 24, 2013
Upcoming Richard III documentary
From Channel 4:
The deformed body and head contained a brilliant and murderous mindset. The two young York princes in the line of succession were surely ordered to be killed by Richard III. Their bones may have been discovered in the Tower of London a couple of decades ago and genetic testing could prove whether they had Plantagenet DNA.
ReplyDeleteNo one has ever proven the bones found in the tower have anything to do with the princes. No one really knows what happened to the boys--to say that their uncle "surely" killed them is an accusation with no proof, no matter how many history buffs repeat it. There is no record that Richard was deformed except for a twist in his spine which made one shoulder appear higher than the other. Later reports of lameness, a withered arm and a hunchback were part of the propaganda being used to make people think Henry Tudor had a better right to the throne than Richard or any member of his family. And the skeleton's head is only deformed because of the injuries which most likely killed him.
ReplyDeleteAny follow up on the markers they used?
ReplyDelete