Digging For Richard Iii

"As gripping as any detective fiction. Proof that one doesn't need to be fascinated with Richard III to be enthralled by the story of his body's discovery." —Publisher's Weekly In August 2012 a search began, and on February 4, 2013, a team from Leicester University delivered its verdict to a mesmerized press room and to the world: they had found the remains of Richard III, whose legacy was perhaps the most contested of all British monarchs. Prior to this major discovery, there had been little new information about Richard III for some time. With no new evidence to fuel it, the debate over what kind of man he might have been seemed to have stalled. Thus the story of the discovery of Richard III is a story of the value of archaeology—careful analysis of physical evidence backed up by the latest science and technology—and how it can change our understanding of history. Firsthand accounts from the team that found the king, along with photographs from the author’s own archives and an expanded epilogue incorporating new DNA evidence, augment this compelling detective story as the evidence is uncovered.

The story of the archaeology behind the dig that found Richard III, told through a fascinating array of photographs, diagrams, and firsthand accounts In August 2012 a search began and on February 4, 2013 a team from Leicester University delivered its verdict to a mesmerized press room, watched by media studios around the world: they had found the remains of Richard III, whose history is perhaps the most contested of all British monarchs. History offers a narrow range of information about Richard III which mostly has already been worked to destruction. Archaeology creates new data, new stories, with a different kind of material: physical remains from which modern science can wrest a surprising amount, and which provide a direct, tangible connection with the past. Unlike history, archaeological research demands that teams of people with varied backgrounds work together. Archaeology is a communal activity, in which the interaction of personalities as well as professional skills can change the course of research. Photographs from the author’s own archives, alongside additional material from Leicester University, offer a compelling detective story as the evidence is uncovered.

Their task was to locate a lost grave in an obliterated church. The ‘Looking For Richard’ team of historians and researchers spent many years amassing evidence. Now for the first time they reveal the full story of how that evidence took them to a car park in Leicester.

As gripping as any detective fiction. Proof that one doesn't need to be fascinated with Richard III to be enthralled by the story of his body's discovery. --Publisher's Weekly

In 2012, archaeologists found the long-lost grave of Richard III, England's most disputed monarch and probable murderer of the Princes in the Tower. 'Digging for Richard III' is the page-turning story of how the grave was found, the people behind the discovery and what it tells us. It is the first complete narrative of a project that blended passion, science, luck and detection. This was a Tutankhamun for our times. This is an insider's gripping account of how modern archaeology really works, of how clues meticulously assembled and forensically examined are pieced together to create a narrative worthy of the finest detective fiction. First came the news that archaeologists were searching for a king in a car park. Next it was said they had located the church where Richard had been buried. Finally it was announced that a skeleton had been found with curved spine and battle wounds. All the studies, including analysis of anatomy, DNA, high-resolution scanning and a digital facial reconstruction, led to one thing. This really was the King. "Compulsively readable" - David Miles, former Chief Archaeologist at English Heritage. "Couldn't put it down. A must for anyone interested in English history" - Francis Pryor, author of 'Britain in the Middle Ages'

The dramatic story of Richard III, England's last medieval king, captured the world's attention when an archaeological team led by the University of Leicester identified his remains in February 2013. The Bones of a King presents the official behind-the-scenes story of the Grey Friars dig from the team of specialists who discovered and identified his remains The most extensive and authoritative book written for non-specialists by the expert team who discovered and analysed the remains of Richard III Features more than 40 illustrations, maps and photographs Builds an expansive view of Richard's life, death and burial, as well as accounts of the treatment of his body prior to burial, and his legacy in the public imagination from the time of his death to the present Explains the scientific evidence behind his identification, including DNA retrieval and sequencing, soil samples, his wounds and his scoliosis, and what they reveal about his life, his health and even the food he ate A behind-the-scenes look at one of the most exciting historical discoveries of our time

The Last Days of Richard III contains a new and uniquely detailed exploration of Richard's last 150 days, and explores these events from the standpoint of Richard himself and his contemporaries. By deliberately avoiding the hindsight knowledge that he will lose the Battle of Bosworth Field, we discover a new Richard: no passive victim, awaiting defeat and death, but a king actively pursuing his own policies and agenda. It also re-examines the aftermath of Bosworth: the treatment of Richard's body; his burial; and the construction of his tomb. Based on newly discovered evidence and wider insights it explores the motives underlying these events. And there is the fascinating story of why, and how, Richard III's DNA was rediscovered, alive and well, and living in Canada. John Ashdown-Hill has produced a stimulating and thought-provoking account of the end of Richard's life. Even readers very familiar with his short life will discover a new and fascinating picture of him.