We all know that an unidentified medieval stone sarcophagus containing a lead coffin was discovered close to Richard’s last resting place in Leicester. And, probably, that it proved to be that of an elderly woman. Now there is a video of what happened when it was opened. When they first examined the remains inside… Continue reading The mysterious coffin found immediately after Richard was discovered….
Tag: human remains
The Royals: A History of Scandals
This is a four-part series on More4, presented by Suzannah Lipscomb and with a focus on the Hanoverian era. It started with financial scandals, such as George IV’s extravagance and his brother‘s mistress who sold army commissions. The second episode was about sexual scandals and rumours, such as Edward VII’s mistresses and the male brothel… Continue reading The Royals: A History of Scandals
‘NASTY, BRUTISH AND SHORT’
The term ‘nasty, brutish and short’ is a phrase often used, half jokingly, for the lives of our pre-modern ancestors. It wasn’t always, but in many cases, life in the Middle Ages could be harsh–especially in regards to illness and injury. A recent assessment of skeletons discovered in Cambridge at three separate sites shows… Continue reading ‘NASTY, BRUTISH AND SHORT’
The HS2 Murder Mystery
Just as the construction Crossrail exposed human burial grounds, so has HS2. Here, in Wendover, Buckinghamshire we have an Iron Age burial that is likely to have followed a murder, possibly a ritual murder, or an execution. An Iron Age man was discovered, face down, his unusual position indicating that he was most likely bound… Continue reading The HS2 Murder Mystery
NEW BONES FROM THE TOWER–HOW LONG BEFORE THEY BLAME RICHARD FOR THESE TOO?
Recently, archaeologists working at the Tower of London discovered the remains of two people, an adult woman age 35-45 and a child of about seven. Proper modern carbon dating has taken place and it is determined that the pair are from between 1450-1550. Osteological examination shows no signs of trauma on the bones, although the… Continue reading NEW BONES FROM THE TOWER–HOW LONG BEFORE THEY BLAME RICHARD FOR THESE TOO?
Britain’s top burial sites?
This Sun article, which originally confused Richard’s Leicester with Henry I’s Reading, lists what they consider to be Britain’s top burial sites, although there is no detail on the supposed “Princes” in that urn, especially now that there is evidence to test the remains. Are there any others you might have included?
MYSTERY OF THE MONK’S MUMMY
Ancient human remains can sometimes ‘speak’ to us through time and inform us not only of their own life stories, but how modern medical complaints came to be. Here is a case of a Franciscan friar’s mummified remains found in an old church in Ecuador that collapsed during an earthquake in 1949. The man, who… Continue reading MYSTERY OF THE MONK’S MUMMY
ST OSWALD’S IN GLOUCESTER–A TOWER FOUND
The scanty arches of St Oswald’s Priory lie tucked in a Gloucester suburb a few minutes walk from the cathedral. Once a place of great importance, it was the burial spot of Queen Aethelflaed, daughter of Alfred the Great. She was a warrior-queen who fought the Vikings. Henry of Huntingdon wrote this about her– Heroic… Continue reading ST OSWALD’S IN GLOUCESTER–A TOWER FOUND
Is this the face of Lady Anne Mowbray….?
Here is what little Lady Anne Mowbray may have looked like. She was the child bride of one of the so-called Princes in the Tower, the younger one, Richard, Duke of York. Her burial was recently extensively covered by sparkypus here. Now The Times has come up with an article about the reconstruction of this… Continue reading Is this the face of Lady Anne Mowbray….?
THE CROSSRAIL RAILWAY PROJECT – A PORTAL INTO OLD LONDON
UPDATED POST ON sparkypus.com A Medieval Potpourri https://sparkypus.com/2020/05/14/crossrail-a-portal-into-medieval-london/ No doubt archaeologists thought all their Christmases had arrived at once when first they heard breaking news of the building of Crossrail, Europe’s largest infrastructure – which will be called the Elizabeth line and will open in phases from late 2018 – and the exceptional opportunities the… Continue reading THE CROSSRAIL RAILWAY PROJECT – A PORTAL INTO OLD LONDON
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