Archaeology & History
King Arthur's grave was a medieval hoax
By
T.K. RandallMarch 28, 2016 ·
7 comments
King Arthur is not really buried at Glastonbury Abbey. Image Credit: Charles Ernest Butler
The grave site of King Arthur at Glastonbury Abbey was actually a hoax designed to attract more visitors.
Long purported to be the final resting place of the legendary King Arthur and his wife Guinevere, the marked grave at Glastonbury Abbey in Somerset, England is a bit of a mystery in its own right.
While excavations and discoveries at the site over the years have confirmed that the enigmatic grave actually does date back to the time of King Arthur in the fifth century, there is little evidence to suggest that it actually is the final resting place of the legendary ruler.
Instead, it turns out, the grave may have actually been little more than a medieval hoax.
Records from the time suggest that there had been growing concern over waning interest in Glastonbury Abbey following the construction of Westminster Abbey in London.
In an effort to attract more visitors - as well as the donations that came with them - the monks declared that they had discovered the skeletons of King Arthur and Guinevere in a tree tunk.
Their remains were then allegedly buried in the grounds of the Abbey's new church.
While Glastonbury Abbey never did manage to regain its former glory, the grave of King Arthur certainly helped to draw a significant amount of attention over the proceeding centuries.
The real site of Arthur's grave however - if he ever existed at all - continues to remain a mystery.
Source:
Arstechnica.com |
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King Arthur, Glastonbury Abbey
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