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
Illustrations vi
The Greyfriars Research Team ix
Acknowledgements xii
1 Investigating the Bones of a King 1
2 So How Did He Get There? (rb, mm) 5
3 The Bigger Picture 35
4 The Bones Tell Their Tale 57
5 Who was Richard? 78
6 The Cousins in the Swabs (tk, ks) 109
7 What Did Richard Look Like? 127
8 The Big Announcement 139
9 The Afterlife of Richard III and the City That Never Forgot 158
10 Richard Laid to Rest 174
Appendix 1 191
Appendix 2 209
Index 211