Nature & Environment
New Coffin Unearthed at King Richard III's Resting Place, Amazing Discovering
Kathleen Lees
First Posted: Jul 29, 2013 02:17 PM EDT
More mysterious discoveries have become uncovered at the resting place of King Richard III. Excavators have finally unearthed what appears to be another coffin found at the site of Leicester, England, right at the exact same spot of the medieval king's resting place.
According to Live Science, the "coffin-within-a coffin" is believed to have been sealed during the 13th or 14th century, which is more than 100 years before the mighty king was killed in battle.
Archaeologists from the University of Leicester believe this grave in the Grey Friars monastery might possibly hold one of the friary's founders or possibly a medieval knight.
The coffin has yet to be opened at this time, and researchers have been working on tests to determine the best way to open it without damaging the possible remains waiting inside.
"None of us in the team have ever seen a lead coffin within a stone coffin before," Grey Friars site director Mathew Morris, of the University of Leicester Archaeological Services, said in a statement. "We will now need to work out how to open it safely, as we don't want to damage the contents when we are opening the lid."
A group of eight removed the stone lid from its outer container that is nearly 7 feet long, according to excavators, and though the coffin remains sealed, many have said they can see the buried individual's feet from a hole at the bottom of the casket.
Who will be uncovered in the coffin? Scientists speculate it belongs to one of three leaders: Peter Swynsfeld, who died in 1272, William of Nottingham, who died in 1330 or the 14th century knight, Sir William de Moton of Peckleton, who died between 1356 and 1362.
However, this is just speculation. Who's to say, after all, who may be inside?
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First Posted: Jul 29, 2013 02:17 PM EDT
More mysterious discoveries have become uncovered at the resting place of King Richard III. Excavators have finally unearthed what appears to be another coffin found at the site of Leicester, England, right at the exact same spot of the medieval king's resting place.
According to Live Science, the "coffin-within-a coffin" is believed to have been sealed during the 13th or 14th century, which is more than 100 years before the mighty king was killed in battle.
Archaeologists from the University of Leicester believe this grave in the Grey Friars monastery might possibly hold one of the friary's founders or possibly a medieval knight.
The coffin has yet to be opened at this time, and researchers have been working on tests to determine the best way to open it without damaging the possible remains waiting inside.
"None of us in the team have ever seen a lead coffin within a stone coffin before," Grey Friars site director Mathew Morris, of the University of Leicester Archaeological Services, said in a statement. "We will now need to work out how to open it safely, as we don't want to damage the contents when we are opening the lid."
A group of eight removed the stone lid from its outer container that is nearly 7 feet long, according to excavators, and though the coffin remains sealed, many have said they can see the buried individual's feet from a hole at the bottom of the casket.
Who will be uncovered in the coffin? Scientists speculate it belongs to one of three leaders: Peter Swynsfeld, who died in 1272, William of Nottingham, who died in 1330 or the 14th century knight, Sir William de Moton of Peckleton, who died between 1356 and 1362.
However, this is just speculation. Who's to say, after all, who may be inside?
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone