Since the discovery of a
grave under a parking lot in Leicester, England, presumed to be that of
King Richard III, we've been waiting for further news. Well, the University
of Leicester has just released the image of a skull, the first photo of
human remains that may be that of the monarch:
"In order to determine whether this individual is Richard III
we have built up a biological profile of its characteristics. We have
also carefully examined the skeleton for traces of a violent death,"
Appleby said.
Appleby and colleagues had good reasons to think the remains came from
the famous king, best known through William Shakespeare's fictional
account of him in "Richard III." For instance, not only was
the skeleton male, it was found in the church choir area where historical
records would suggest Richard III was buried. The skull also showed
signs of being wounded, as if it were cut clean off his body with an
axe or sword, something consistent with a battle death.
Scientists also found a barbed arrowhead in the skeleton's spine, which
showed signs of scoliosis. Such an abnormally curved spine would've
made its owner's right shoulder sit higher than the left, matching contemporary
portrayals of Richard III.
LiveScience has more:
Here.
No comments:
Post a Comment