Unlike forensic anthropologists, who are concerned with modern skeletal remains, bioarchaeologists consider remains from an archaeologic context, including where they were discovered, such as the soil or other organic matter immediately surrounding the remains and any other objects or artifacts near the body; also, while considering the legal and ethical issues surrounding the collection, analysis and storage of human remains (Shook, 2019b). Bioarchaeologists used context from
the "Is It Modern or Archaeological?" section to determine whether this skeleton was
archaeological was the place he was excavated from and given historical reports identifying the burial site as the Grey Friars church (King et al., 2014).
Bioarchaeologists and forensic anthropologists find it essential to learn about the human remains discovered, such as who it is. Finding this information through a biological profile allows them to capture an individual's identifying characteristics or
biological information (Shook, 2019b). This is important as it helps to match similarities to known individuals in the past and current skeletal remains from an archaeological context in helping to learn about people's everyday lives (Shook, 2019b). Finally, from the "Who Is It?" section, the tools used to conclude the skeleton was likely King Richard III's remains were dating tools collecting data on archaeological, osteological and radiocarbon that determined his sex, physical characteristics, age, battle trauma as historically documented and genealogical data (King et al., 2014).
References
King, T., Fortes, G., Balaresque, P.
et al.
Identification of the remains of King Richard III.
Nat Commun
5,
5631 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms6631
Shook, B. (2019b, December 9).
Bioarchaeology and Forensic Anthropology
. Pressbooks. https://pressbooks-dev.oer.hawaii.edu/explorationsbioanth/chapter/
__unknown__-5/
Historical records and subsequent analysis have suggested the general location of the Grey Friars friary and its relation to modern-day Leicester. However, for over 500
years, the exact site of Richard III's grave had remained unknown.
His remains were found under a car park that used to be a medieval church.
