Two Mysterious Skeletons Found at a Historical Site in London Baffle Archaeologists as They Belong to Commoners

The Tower of London has a terrifying reputation in history books. One of the most enigmatic personalities, Queen of England, Anne Boleyn, breathed her last in the establishment. Some more secrets buried at the establishment were announced by experts in 2019, stated ABC News. These new findings are helping experts understand how life was for inhabitants of the structure.

Though the Tower of London has been known for its royal tales, the structure has also been a home for civilians. Researchers believe the remains they excavated seven years ago were from the ordinary public. Further examination concluded that these bones belonged to two people, a woman and a girl. As per analysis, these individuals were buried between 1450 and 1550. Before this finding, researchers unearthed a complete human skeleton in the 1970s. Researchers were ecstatic with the remains, as it was the first time they had the opportunity to scientifically examine fossils found in the Tower.

The discovery came to light when plans were made to install a disabled access point inside the Chapel of Saint Peter ad Vincula. The digs were done to collect information associated with the chapel’s boundaries. In a matter of days, they had spotted the remains. Both individuals were placed underneath a medieval floor. As per researchers, the woman was in the age range of 35 to 45, while the girl was around seven years of age. Findings from the remains hint that life in Tower wasn't rosy. "By looking for marks related to growth, damage, wear, and disease we can create an image of how these individuals lived and died," shared Historic Buildings Curator, Alfred Hawkins.

In both skeletons, researchers have observed signs of ailments. "Both skeletons show signs of illness and the adult shows signs of chronic back pain. Their growth shows not a comfortable life, but one which is typical of the period in which they lived," Hawkins added. Experts have not noted any evidence that implies any of them dying due to violent means. Researchers believe both of them were buried at the location, because of the chapel's use as a burial ground for people who lived at the Tower.

The woman and the girl were interred on their back and had their feet facing east, stated Smithsonian Magazine. Nails surrounding the woman indicate that she was put to rest in a coffin, while the child was just covered in a shroud and buried in the ground. The researchers did not locate any burial goods with the remains. Experts speculate that the duo could have a connection with the soldiers protecting the monarchy’s Crown Jewels, the Royal Mint, or the Royal Armories. Archaeologists were a bit surprised to find the burials at the location. "We prepared for the fact that there may be complete burials, but we weren’t expecting them to be there because historic records show that the burial site was in a different location," Hawkins shared. The remains were reburied in the chapel by The Reverend, Canon Roger Hall MBE in September of the same year, stated ABC News.