The Bone Chests: Unlocking the Secrets of the Anglo-Saxons

A TIMES HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEAR ‘A diligent historian and a superb writer’ THE TIMES A gripping new history of the making of England as a nation. In December 1642, during the Civil War, Parliamentarian troops stormed Winchester Cathedral and smashed ten beautifully decorated wooden chests to the ground, using the bones inside as missiles to shatter the cathedral’s stained glass windows. Afterwards, the clergy scrambled to collect the scattered remains: the bones of ancient kings, bishops and one formidable queen. Bestselling historian Cat Jarman builds on the ground-breaking work of forensic archaeologists to lead us through more than a millennium of history. Alongside the cutting-edge investigation to unlock the bones' secrets, this is a thrilling and sometimes tragic tale. It tells the story of both the seekers and the sought, of those who protected the bones and those who spurned them. Cat Jarman's The Bone Chests is a Sunday Times bestseller that takes readers on a journey through the middle ages of Europe. This non-fiction work, a blend of biography and archaeology, provides a unique insight into the social science of the time, exploring the intricacies of Britain's royalty and civilisation. For fans of Alice Roberts (The Little Book of Humanism), Eleanor Parker (Winters in the World), Marc Morris (The Anglo-Saxons), Don Hollway (At the Gates of Rome), and Tom Holland (Athelstan). HarperCollins 2023 Why these bones? Why there? Can we ever really identify them? In a palimpsest narrative that runs through more than a millennium of British history, it tells the story of both the seekers and the sought, of those who protected the bones and those who spurned them; and of the methods used to investigate. Cat Jarman's The Bone Chests is a riveting exploration of Britain's past, from the royalty of the middle ages to the civilisation of 449-1066. As the Sunday Times bestselling author, Jarman's expertise in archaeology and biography shines through, making this a must-read for history and science enthusiasts alike. For fans of Alice Roberts (The Celts), Eleanor Parker (Winters in the World), Tom Holland (Dynasty), Don Hollway (Battle for the Island Kingdom), and Michael Livingston (Agincourt). HarperCollins 2023