It must have been an eerie sight for passersby as archaeologists exhumed an unmarked grave at a churchyard in Winchester on Tuesday. It is thought that the bones belong to the legendary Alfred the Great – the Anglo-Saxon king who fought off the Vikings and established the English justice system. Just over a month after discovering the remains of Richard III on a car park, this may be the next notorious English monarch that sees daylight.
Historians agree on the importance of king Alfred, who died in 899. During his 28-year reign he safeguarded the Christian religion and the English language.
The 10 hour excavation was surrounded by secrecy, as archaeologists were afraid of vandalism of the site. Human skeletal remains were transported to a storage at an undisclosed location. Whether the remains truly belong to Alfred is still to be seen, although it is likely that when it’s not Alfred, it is a close relative, says The Daily Mail.
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