3D imagery recreates original grave of Richard III

Experts have recreated the skeleton and grave of King Richard III, which were found under a car park in Leicester.

University of Leicester archaeologists who discovered the royal's remains have designed a 3D interactive representation of the king in his coffin, to show the minimal reverence with which he was buried.

Richard III, the last king of England to die in battle, was discovered beneath a Leicester car park in September 2012, and was reinterred at Leicester Cathedral on March 26 last year.

Now the Plantagenet monarch, who died aged 32 in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth, has been the subject of a virtual reincarnation.

Using photogrammetry - software that turns multiple 2D photographs into a 3D model - University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS) were able to create a rotatable and detailed image of the king's body.

Using 3D sharing platform Sketchfab, users can explore the grave that was too short for the royal, seeing how his head was propped up against the walls.

Mathew Morris, Site Supervisor for ULAS and the man who first discovered the remains, said: "Photogrammetry provides a fantastic analytical tool that allows us to examine the grave from angles that would have been physically difficult or impossible to achieve during the excavation, and gives us the ability to continue to examine the king's grave long after the excavation has finished."

The original Dig For Richard III project was led by the University of Leicester, working with Leicester City Council in association with the Richard III Society.