Unearthed After 700 Years: The Mysterious Life-Size Stone Head of a Forgotten Medieval British King Revealed
The stone head, which is missing its nose, jaw, and most of its facial features, is thought to depict King Edward II who ruled England between 1307 to 1327 in a tumultuous reign.
Furthermore, researchers suspect that King Edward II’s stone head may have been part of a previously unknown gallery of royal sculptures once located inside the grand building of Shaftesbury.
“The significant thing is it is wearing a crown. This is a royal figure, a statue of a king or queen. It might be Edward II, but we’re not sure,” said archaeologist Julian Richards who is leading the excavations at Shaftesbury.
Zachary Culpin/Shaftesbury Abbey/BNPSThe destroyed stone head of an English king (left) and an illustration of Shaftesbury as it would have been in its heyday.
The Shaftesbury abbey was first constructed in 888. Before it was knocked down and its land sold under the order of Thomas Cromwell in 1539, the nunnery was about the size of Westminster Abbey and was the second-richest nunnery in all of England — second only to Syon Abbey on the Thames in Isleworth.
The stone head itself was uncovered during a six-week excavation of the former nunnery to uncover the ruins still buried at the site. Researchers involved in the dig believe that the stone head may have suffered direct damage from a sledgehammer.
“The quality of the carving is just absolutely stunning. You can even see the eyelids,” said Richards. “It’s slightly battered around the face, as if it’s been deliberately defaced.” Although the stone head will need to go through more significant analysis to determine who it is exactly meant to depict, the archaeologists suspect it was made in the likeness of King Edward II.
Post Comment