Whist excavating a site near Chateau Gaillard in Normandy early this year, archaeologist have come across a rare find. Two graves were unearthed, one contained a knight and a horse and the other contained a second armoured knight along with something that would change, not only what we know about medieval warfare, but the romantic ideal of the brave knight on his trusted steed!
This dig began normally, in the first grave they found bones and some pieces of cloth, but when archaeologists looked closely at the second grave they soon realised that, along with bones, what was buried here was made of metal.
"It was a difficult dig" said the lead archaeologist " we soon found that this was more that just a few fragments of metal, it was a whole object, were desperate to find out what it was."
Working thorough the night with trowels and the finest of brushes an outline began to appear, and what this object turned out to be stunned everyone. In the light of day, the small group found what appeared to be a bicycle.
"We were absolutely shocked" said one of the group "we did not expect this. We know that bikes were around in the 15th century for there is one featured in a French book of Coats of Arms but finding one here is fantastic. What this means is that medieval man was using this form of transport in the late 12th century, its a brilliant find!"
The nearby Chateau Gaillard of course was the favourite castle of king Richard I. Experts are now asking, did our crusading monarch's army use bicycles as well as horses?
"It was a difficult dig" said the lead archaeologist " we soon found that this was more that just a few fragments of metal, it was a whole object, were desperate to find out what it was."
Working thorough the night with trowels and the finest of brushes an outline began to appear, and what this object turned out to be stunned everyone. In the light of day, the small group found what appeared to be a bicycle.
"We were absolutely shocked" said one of the group "we did not expect this. We know that bikes were around in the 15th century for there is one featured in a French book of Coats of Arms but finding one here is fantastic. What this means is that medieval man was using this form of transport in the late 12th century, its a brilliant find!"
The nearby Chateau Gaillard of course was the favourite castle of king Richard I. Experts are now asking, did our crusading monarch's army use bicycles as well as horses?
In 2012 the remains of King Richard III was found in a shallow grave in the City of Leicester, no such object was found buried with him.
For more on this topic you have got to read this blog
riowang.blogspot.co.uk/2009/05/in-velox-libertas.html
For more on this topic you have got to read this blog
riowang.blogspot.co.uk/2009/05/in-velox-libertas.html
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