William Shakespeare News & Update: Theft Of Skull From Startford-Upon-Avon Grave Discovered On 400th Death Anniversary Of The Bard

The skull of William Shakespeare of the legendary classics is reportedly stolen from his grave at the Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-Upon-Avon. The discovery of the robbery comes close to the 400th death anniversary of William Shakespeare.

According to Beacon Transcript, the theft was determined when a team of archeologists was finally given the permit by the Holy Trinity Church to analyze the remains of William Shakespeare. While the archeological team did not dig up the grave of William Shakespeare, they used a sonar-type device to penetrate the ground. This allowed them to view The Bard without disturbing the grave or the remains of William Shakespeare.

Team leader Kevin Colls related that the sweep of the radar device revealed a patch where the skull of William Shakespeare should have been. On closer inspection, the archeological team noticed that the part of the grave where the skull of William Shakespeare should be had been disturbed. The team also revealed that William Shakespeare had not been buried in a coffin. Rather, William Shakespeare had been wrapped in a shroud before he was placed into the shallow grave. From the scan, the team determined that the wife of The Bard, Anne Hathaway, is buried beside William Shakespeare.

The theft of the skull of William Shakespeare brought a few theories to mind as the archeological team related. The skull of William Shakespeare may have been stolen as early as the 18th century. A possible reason for the theft is to hold a part of William Shakespeare as a trophy. One other theory is that the skull of William Shakespeare had been purposely taken away and sealed separately in a crypt of a church outside of Stratford-Upon-Avon. The investigating team, however, qualified that the skull in the said crypt could not have been that of William Shakespeare as it is that of a female who died in her 70s. William Shakespeare died when he was 58.

While the mystery of William Shakespeare's skull is up in the air, The Independent reports that numeours events are ongoing both in Stratford-Upon-Avon and all across Britain to celebrate the life and honor the works of William Shakespeare. April 23, 2016 marks the 400th death anniversary of William Shakespeare.