Gallery: In Search of the Grave of Richard III

News
By Stephanie Pappas
published

Richard III

Richard III of England

(Image credit: public domain)

A contemporary drawing of Richard III and his queen, Anne Neville, and son, Edward, Prince of Wales

Dig Prep

Richard III grave dig.

(Image credit: University of Leicester)

Archaeologists prepare to break ground during an excavation in search of Richard III's body.

Richard III Dig

Richard III grave dig.

(Image credit: University of Leicester)

Richard III died in battle during the War of the Roses. After his death, he was buried at Greyfriars church in Leicester, but the location was soon lost to history.

Dig in a Parking Lot

Digging for Richard III grave

(Image credit: University of Leicester)

In the first week of the dig, archaeologists removed the parking lot surface and dug two 98-foot (30-meter) trenches.

Leicester Dig

Richard III grave dig.

(Image credit: University of Leicester)

The dig has unearthed medieval floor and roof tiles and window fragments, suggesting that archaeologists are very near Greyfriars church where Richard III is buried.

Trench at Greyfriars

Richard III grave dig.

(Image credit: University of Leicester)

Researchers aren't yet sure if they will uncover Richard III's body during this excavation, with one archeologist calling it a "long shot."

Leicester Cathedral

Leicester Cathedral memorial stone

(Image credit: University of Leicester)

Though Richard III's original grave has been lost, a memorial stone in his honor sits in Leicester Cathedral. If the king's remains are found, he'll be interred here.

Richard III and Anne of Neville

richard'

(Image credit: University of Leicester)

Richard III and his queen, Anne of Neville, appear in a stained glass window in Cardiff Castle.

Greyfriars Fragments

Fragments of Greyfriars Church

(Image credit: University of Leicester)

Architectural fragments unearthed during the dig for King Richard III likely come from Greyfriars church.

Medieval Floor Tiles

Medieval floor tiles, Greyfriars

(Image credit: University of Leicester)

Inlaid floor tiles unearthed from the Greyfriars church site.

Stephanie Pappas
Stephanie Pappas
Live Science Contributor

Stephanie Pappas is a contributing writer for Live Science, covering topics ranging from geoscience to archaeology to the human brain and behavior. She was previously a senior writer for Live Science but is now a freelancer based in Denver, Colorado, and regularly contributes to Scientific American and The Monitor, the monthly magazine of the American Psychological Association. Stephanie received a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of South Carolina and a graduate certificate in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz.