Monday, February 4, 2013

Richard III, is it or isn't it?

Interest in Richard the third is basically at fever pitch in Leicester today - and plenty of other places too judging by twitter. I missed the press conference this morning - I was working, but have been watching a channel 4 documentary about it this evening. It wasn't a great documentary about Richard III, but was an interesting insight into how obsessed people get. 

From my own point of view I want Leicester to get a boost, it's the city I'm obliged to live in, it's had a rough time over the last decade and needs both money and interest at the moment. This might just do it. If nothing else it's given academics something juicy to have a spat over. It does look a lot like it might be Richard's body that was under the car park/ grammar school playground which makes it an amazing find - first body they dug up and under a spot marked 'R' it seems - what were the chances? Despite having some very feminine features the age seems to be about right, it probably was a man, it had a curvy spine and the appropriate injuries and for what its worth the DNA results (something else Leicester is famous for) tally as well - so naturally there are already plenty of hoax theories and nay sayers out there already.

On the whole it's fun, I'd like to think it was Richard because it's by far the most satisfying end to the story and there seems to be enough evidence to say it's so. Now let's wait and see what happens next. 

2 comments:

  1. It is good fun - how embarrassing if it hadn't turned out like that though, after all the fuss! ;-)

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  2. I know, wouldn't bear thinking about now would it...

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