(no subject)

What an interesting retort! Who exactly is that skeleton, and I know we respect Richard, but what exactly is the "state" that we see this skeleton in, and what is the conflict. I did assume that the Leister remains would be very carefully isolated and somewhat exclusive in its environment to keep from any other DNA contamination. How is the l Leister skeleton being contained&I heard in a bank vault, I assume safekeeping from artifact theft&.what exactly is going on, with the newspaper article&..?

Carol Darling wrote:
>
> What an interesting retort! Who exactly is that skeleton, and I know we respect Richard, but what exactly is the "state" that we see this skeleton in, and what is the conflict. I did assume that the Leister remains would be very carefully isolated and somewhat exclusive in its environment to keep from any other DNA contamination. How is the l Leister skeleton being contained…I heard in a bank vault, I assume safekeeping from artifact theft….what exactly is going on, with the newspaper article…..?

Carol responds:
Carol, whose post are you responding to? It would help if you'd quote a bit of the other person's post.

Thanks,
Carol (T)

I was responding to a note in our regular Forum that was talking about the newspaper article showing the Leister skeleton, and the note in our Forum said that the skeleton shown was not the Leister warrior, as the newspaper wanted us to believe. The email address was for: cherryripe.ellenb.

Carol Darling wrote: "What an interesting retort! Who exactly is that skeleton, and I know we respect Richard, but what exactly is the "state" that we see this skeleton in, and what is the conflict. I did assume that the Leister remains would be very carefully isolated and somewhat exclusive in its environment to keep from any other DNA contamination. How is the l Leister skeleton being contained.I heard in a bank vault, I assume safekeeping from artifact theft..what exactly is going on, with the newspaper article...?"

Annette responds: You are evidently referring to a brief comment that I hastily posted to the forum. A member had found an online article stating in words roughly what is known already about the search for Richard III's grave at the Leicester Greyfriars, where human remains have been found which have been carefully and respectfully taken to the university for examination and identification. However, the article in question also showed a photograph of a selection of human bones, mostly disarticulated, laid out for all to see in the open air on the ground and on trestle tables.

As a (junior) member of the team behind the project, I am constantly in touch with its instigator, Philippa Langley, and I know what the arrangements are for affording to Richard - or to any potential Richard - the degree of respectful privacy that would be considered seemly by those Ricardians whose concern it has been to ensure the search took place. When I saw this photograph I knew it wasn't from Leicester, so I called Philippa and asked if she could throw any light on it - she said she didn't know, but thought it might be from a dig in Israel.

Philippa is keen for Ricardians to be able to distinguish the facts from the fantasies about what is going on, but I need to explain that there are many things that have to be kept under wraps. There are many things that I myself don't know. The progress of the search has been updated in each successive Richard III Society Bulletin this year, so those of you who are members will know more about it than those who aren't. Inter alia Channel 4 is planning to make a TV special about it. The concept behind the programme is to 'tell Richard's true story' as Philippa describes it. In order for C4 to consider the project worth pursuing, it's been agreed that a considerable amount of information is being held back so that it can be revealed and thoroughly explained on TV. That is one reason why so little detail has been publicly announced - that coupled with (a) respect for the king whose grave we have been seeking, and (b) the undesirability of publicly speculating on matters that the experts are labouring to confirm by scientific means. As you would imagine, all professional precautions have been taken, including DNA samples from all of us who have been present, plus proper isolation and safe-keeping of everything that's been found at the dig. I realise that this isn't very informative, but I hope it helps.
Regards, Annette