LONDON: British archaeologists announced on Wednesday that a skeleton found under a city center car park in central England could be that of the medieval King Richard III.
Researchers from the University of Leicester said they had found a male skeleton with similarities to historical descriptions of Richard, who ruled England between 1483 and his death in battle in 1485.
The remains, which are well preserved, are undergoing DNA analysis.
“What we have uncovered is truly remarkable,” said Richard Taylor, the university’s director of corporate affairs.
“This skeleton certainly has characteristics that warrant extensive further detailed examination,” he told a press conference.
The team, which has been excavating a car park in the city of Leicester for three weeks, said the skeleton had an arrow-head embedded in its back and had received blows to the skull consistent with injuries received in battle.
Today, Richard III is best known as the hunchbacked villain of a play by William Shakespeare — and while the skeleton is not that of a hunchback, it does have a curved spine.
“This would have made his right shoulder appear visibly higher than the left shoulder,” said Taylor.
“This is consistent with contemporary accounts of Richard’s appearance.”
The bones were found in what was once the choir area of a church believed to be the king’s resting place, which the archaeologists have uncovered beneath the car park.
Richard is thought to have been buried at the Franciscan friary of Grey Friars in Leicester after his death in the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, but the church was demolished in the 1530s and its location had been lost until now.
The team used ground-penetrating radar equipment to pinpoint the best areas of the car park to begin the search.
Taylor said the team will use DNA from a man who is a direct descendant of Richard’s eldest sister, Anne of York, to try to get a match. The process is expected to take up to 12 weeks.
“We have sent the remains off to the laboratory for analysis. DNA testing will take between eight and 12 weeks and the remains are being analyzed as we speak,” said Taylor.
“It is an exciting discovery.”
Bones found at English car park may belong to medieval king
Bones found at English car park may belong to medieval king
Jessica Kahawaty to narrate London concert paying tribute to Arab music icons
DUBAI: Australian Lebanese model and entrepreneur Jessica Kahawaty this week announced that she will serve as the storyteller for “A Night With The Legends,” a one-night musical tribute celebrating iconic women of Arabic music, taking place at London’s Royal Albert Hall on March 5.
Kahawaty will portray Scheherazade and deliver spoken narration during the program.
The evening will pay tribute to the legacies of Umm Kulthum, Fairuz, Warda, Sabah, Asmahan and Layla Mourad.
Vocals will be performed by Lebanese vocalist Abeer Nehme, accompanied by the UK-based London Arab Orchestra under the direction of conductor Basel Saleh, alongside the London-based Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. The program will also feature a 70-member all-female choir.
“I’m incredibly humbled,” Kahawaty wrote to her 1.8 million followers on Instagram. “As storyteller, I’ll be weaving history, memory and meaning into the musical experience in a one-night tribute celebrating the iconic women of the golden era of Arabic music.”
“I cannot wait to see you all there,” she added.
Kahawaty is also an entrepreneur. She co-founded fine jewelry label Kahawaty Jewels with her father, master jeweler Ghassan Kahawaty, launching the Dubai-based brand last year as a continuation of the family’s longstanding craftsmanship tradition.
“I grew up watching my father in his jewelry trade. I saw how happy he made people when he created these beautiful pieces,” Kahawaty previously told Arab News. “I’ve always wanted to continue my father’s legacy and my grandfather’s trade. I felt like this is the perfect time to launch Kahawaty Jewels in Dubai, which is a city I’ve been in for over 13 years.”
Kahawaty and her mother are also behind UAE-based food delivery business Mama Rita. In July last year, the pair expanded the venture with the launch of a cookbook, which featured a cover endorsement from Hollywood actress and producer Courteney Cox.
Writing on Instagram at the time, Kahawaty said: “The moment we held the Mama Rita cookbook in our hands for the very first time … after two years of pouring our hearts into it. And we’re beyond thrilled to share a special surprise on the cover — a quote from the one and only (Courteney Cox). Her iconic role as Monica in ‘Friends’ — the talented chef, perfectionist and loving control freak — mirrors so much of the dynamic between mum and me. And her true persona is even more beautiful, warm and generous.”
