Socket to Me

'Richard III' by William Shakespeare (Photo credit: Huntington Theatre Company)

Following the positive identification of Richard III, from bones discovered under a Leicester car park, I asked SW if she’d seen the facial reconstruction of the long lost king. She hadn’t, so I whisked her away to the computer and found the appropriate page on the BBC website.

SW was fascinated by the reconstruction, but her attention was drawn, again and again, to the skull. Well, I suppose we see people’s faces on a daily basis, and it’s easily understandable why the hinging of a lower mandible and the hollow places that accommodated the royal eyes and nose, were worth a second and third look.

Particularly intrigued by the teeth – SW has been busily growing her second set, these past months – it was noticeable how impressed she was by the majestic molars and imperial incisors. I suspect that a drawing may be imminent.