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| Richard III site in Leicester throws up more discoveries | Richard III site in Leicester throws up more discoveries |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| A mysterious coffin-within-a-coffin has been excavated from the same Leicester car park where Richard III was found. | A mysterious coffin-within-a-coffin has been excavated from the same Leicester car park where Richard III was found. |
| Earlier this month archaeologists from The University of Leicester returned to the site where the last Plantagenet king was buried. | Earlier this month archaeologists from The University of Leicester returned to the site where the last Plantagenet king was buried. |
| Laboratory tests will be carried out on the lead coffin - which was found inside a fully intact stone casket - before it is opened. | Laboratory tests will be carried out on the lead coffin - which was found inside a fully intact stone casket - before it is opened. |
| Archaeologists said it was the first time they had seen anything like it. | Archaeologists said it was the first time they had seen anything like it. |
| Learn more | Learn more |
| The team discovered the king's body last year and confirmed it was Richard III in February after a battery of tests - news which brought the world's media to the city. | The team discovered the king's body last year and confirmed it was Richard III in February after a battery of tests - news which brought the world's media to the city. |
| Experts returned to the site of the former Grey Friars Church at the beginning of July to learn more about the site. | Experts returned to the site of the former Grey Friars Church at the beginning of July to learn more about the site. |
| Last week, eight people were needed to lift the stone lid from the outer coffin - which is more than 2m long, 60cm wide at one end, 30cm wide at the other and 30cm deep. | |
| Inside they found a lead box in which they can just glimpse the remains of feet. | Inside they found a lead box in which they can just glimpse the remains of feet. |
| Grey Friars site director Mathew Morris, of the University of Leicester Archaeological Services, said: "The stone coffin was always the big thing we wanted to investigate during this dig. | Grey Friars site director Mathew Morris, of the University of Leicester Archaeological Services, said: "The stone coffin was always the big thing we wanted to investigate during this dig. |
| Coffin within coffin | Coffin within coffin |
| "For me, it was as exciting as finding Richard III. We still don't know who is inside - so there is still a question mark over it. | "For me, it was as exciting as finding Richard III. We still don't know who is inside - so there is still a question mark over it. |
| "None of us in the team have ever seen a lead coffin within a stone coffin before. We will now need to work out how to open it safely, as we don't want to damage the contents when we are opening the lid." | "None of us in the team have ever seen a lead coffin within a stone coffin before. We will now need to work out how to open it safely, as we don't want to damage the contents when we are opening the lid." |
| Archaeologists suspect it contains one of three people - Peter Swynsfeld, who died in 1272; William of Nottingham, who died in 1330 - both heads of the Grey Friars order in England - or Sir William de Moton of Peckleton, who died between 1356 and 1362. | Archaeologists suspect it contains one of three people - Peter Swynsfeld, who died in 1272; William of Nottingham, who died in 1330 - both heads of the Grey Friars order in England - or Sir William de Moton of Peckleton, who died between 1356 and 1362. |
| Work has already begun at the site to build a permanent exhibition to the discovery of Richard, housed in a nearby former school. | Work has already begun at the site to build a permanent exhibition to the discovery of Richard, housed in a nearby former school. |
| It is due to open in 2014 and it is hoped it will bring 100,000 people and £4.5m into Leicester in its first year. | It is due to open in 2014 and it is hoped it will bring 100,000 people and £4.5m into Leicester in its first year. |
| The bones are due to be reinterred in Leicester Cathedral in May 2014, subject to a legal challenge by campaigners who want his body placed in York. | The bones are due to be reinterred in Leicester Cathedral in May 2014, subject to a legal challenge by campaigners who want his body placed in York. |