A new study reveals that the head of William Shakespeare is apparently missing, as researchers are led to speculate that it was probably stolen by grave robbers back in the 18th century.
This surprising finding was based on a scan that was performed on the famous English playwright's grave.These new information about his death are detailed in a new British documentary "Secret History: Shakespeare's Tomb" which reveals the findings of the team and new evidence of the missing poet's head.
During the early 17th century, Shakespeare has written most of his well-known plays and sonnets where the prolific writer and actor passed away in 1616, some 400 years ago. His body along with his wife, Anne Hathaway, were buried underneath the floors of Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. This new study is also the first one that church officials have granted permission for this one of a kind investigation.
Researchers revealed that Shakespeare was not buried at the usual six feet but at only three feet from the ground in a coffin without any sort of metal such as coffin nails. This new discovery suggests that the body may have been in the tomb that have been draped with only a simple shroud. Radar readings penetrated through the soil and revealed the exact location where his head might have been disturbed from its original position hundreds of years back, where the skull is probably replaced with some loose hanging material.
However, researchers are still unsure whether or not this Shakespeare's head is indeed missing from the tomb. An urban legend was circulating for 150 years in the region can provide clues about this bizarre finding. According to the story, Frank Chambers who was a doctor during that period, paid grave robbers a hefty sum to steal Shakespeare's skull. In this tale however, which was first published in 1879, no one ever did or can confirm if this was real.
According to Kevin Colls from Staffordshire University, radar data reveals that there have been an odd disturbance in the head end of the tomb of Shakespeare which suggests that this story can coincide with someone taking this skull from the grave. It can be very convincing that Shakespeare's original skull is no longer in Holy Trinity at all.
Another local legend claims that the real skull of the famous playwright is just 15 miles away from St. Leonard's church in Stratford in a village known as Beoley. However, researchers have determined that the remains belong to a 70 year old woman.
William Shakespeare's grave remains unmarked, without his name where an ancient curse was said to be cast upon anyone who dares disturb his grave which is still uncertain whether or not the curse afflicted those grave robbers who allegedly stole his head. He is known for plays such as Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, and A Midsummer Night's Dream.