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New mystery at Richard III burial site: A coffin inside a coffin
CNN ^ | July 30, 2013 | Jethro Mullen

Posted on 07/30/2013 7:51:37 PM PDT by NYer

(CNN) -- First came the dramatic discovery of the long-lost remains of King Richard III.

Now, there's the mystery of the coffin within the coffin.

Archaeologists working at the site in central England where Richard III's body was found underneath a parking lot are currently puzzling over a sealed lead coffin containing the remains of a yet-to-be-identified person.

The lead coffin was found encased in a larger stone coffin.

The smaller coffin is intact "except for a hole at one end of the casket through which we could tantalizingly see someone's feet," said Mathew Morris, the fieldwork director at the site.

New discovery just as exciting

Last year, archaeologists unearthed a body buried beneath a nondescript parking lot in the city of Leicester. In February, they confirmed the body was that of Richard III, the last king of England to die on the battlefield.

The news drew global attention and set off a debate over Richard's bloodthirsty reputation.

Archaeologists from the University of Leicester, who have been toiling away at the site this summer, say the discovery of the double coffin is just as exciting.

They only uncovered the lead coffin last week after eight people hauled the heavy lid off the stone coffin. But figuring out who's inside looks set to be a much tougher task.

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: archaeology; godsgravesglyphs; greyfriars; history; richardiii; royals; unitedkingdom

1 posted on 07/30/2013 7:51:37 PM PDT by NYer
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To: SunkenCiv
"This was a first for all of us on site," Morris said. "None of the team had ever excavated an intact stone coffin before, let alone a lead coffin as well."

Ping!

2 posted on 07/30/2013 7:52:07 PM PDT by NYer ( "Run from places of sin as from the plague."--St John Climacus)
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To: NYer; a fool in paradise

Otherwise known as the ‘dead man trick’.


3 posted on 07/30/2013 7:53:19 PM PDT by Revolting cat! (Bad things are wrong! Ice cream is delicious!)
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To: NYer; Alas Babylon!

Lead lined coffin? That’s for a radiation contaminated body, ain’t it?


4 posted on 07/30/2013 7:53:50 PM PDT by null and void (You don't know what "cutting edge" means till you insult Mohammed.)
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To: NYer

Thanks NYer.

5 posted on 07/30/2013 8:01:46 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (It's no coincidence that some "conservatives" echo the hard left.)
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To: NYer

He’s not dead, its just a flesh wound..

Now open the lead coffin ya pansies!


6 posted on 07/30/2013 9:22:31 PM PDT by DanielRedfoot (Creepy Ass Cracker)
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To: NYer
Lead Lined coffins... I think I read somewhere that was for suspected vampires ...???????
7 posted on 07/30/2013 9:24:22 PM PDT by Robe (Rome did not create a great empire by talking, they did it by killing all those who opposed them)
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To: NYer

Jimmy Hoffa found at last!


8 posted on 07/30/2013 10:22:26 PM PDT by kaehurowing
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To: null and void

I only have questions. Is this common or tradition or superstition or something else? Who or what do you need to seal in like that? Why? Some kind of an honor or to make sure it doesn’t get out? Any legends or myths from around that time? Is it Jimmy Hoffa?


9 posted on 07/30/2013 10:59:08 PM PDT by GBA (Our obamanation: Romans 1:18-32)
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To: GBA

You ask so many questions
what answers should I choose?
is the plain old heebie-jeebies
or just existential blues?


10 posted on 07/30/2013 11:02:16 PM PDT by null and void (You don't know what "cutting edge" means till you insult Mohammed.)
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To: null and void

Not in the 13th or 14th century. Lead coffins were often used for people of importance, wealth, and/or nobility.


11 posted on 07/30/2013 11:25:12 PM PDT by Ophiucus
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To: null and void

Tough call...I’ll take “heebie-jeebies” for $200, Alex.


12 posted on 07/30/2013 11:35:01 PM PDT by GBA (Our obamanation: Romans 1:18-32)
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To: null and void

A case of heebie jeebies arrived today alack!
I wish I knew who sent it ‘cause I’d love to send it back.

Beastly Rhymes
By Jack Hanrahan


13 posted on 07/31/2013 4:18:48 AM PDT by OSHA (One despises and wants to destroy the United States, the other is a dead terrorist.)
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To: Revolting cat!
I didn't know he was russian...


14 posted on 07/31/2013 1:08:20 PM PDT by a fool in paradise (America 2013 - STUCK ON STUPID)
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