The Bone Chests
Unlocking the Secrets of the Anglo-Saxons
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The Bone Chests
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Cat Jarman
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.
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Critic reviews
A TIMES HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEAR
‘Beguiling … I adored [River Kings] so felt like a young boy on Christmas morning when I first opened The Bone Chests … Jarman’s investigation has something of a Dan Brown quest to it … she’s a diligent historian and a superb writer’
The Times
'This is the best kind of popular history, retelling the story of early medieval England with an equally good grasp of textual sources, archaeology and forensic analysis, and a love of Winchester’
Ronald Hutton
‘Through their story, we can recapture the spirit of the Anglo-Saxon age and, as Jarman writes, learn about the ‘past lives of people who were a little bit like us, who lived, loved, and left an imprint on the generations that came after them’, and who in their vexing anonymity encourage us to find out more’
Literary Review
‘An engaging account of England’s pre-Conquest monarchs, from famous figured such as Alfred the Great to long-forgotten kings Cynegils and Centwine’
i News
PRAISE FOR RIVER KINGS:
A SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER (September 2021)
Waterstones Book of the Month (October 2021)
‘A masterly history … River Kings is a mystery and an adventure, the tale of a quest that took Jarman from Repton to Scandinavia, across the Baltic Sea, over to Baghdad and finally to India. I was held captive … In addition to being a wonderful writer, Jarman is a skilled bioarchaeologist … River Kings is like a classical symphony, perfectly composed and exquisitely performed. Tiny trills of detail give way to pounding drums of drama’
Gerard deGroot, Times
‘Cat Jarman will transform the way you think about the Vikings’ Dan Snow
this book explains early medieval English history in a way that is enjoyable and very informative.
fascinating
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Enjoyable gentle walk back to lesser known parts of history
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Excellent superb account of re Norman history
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Interesting with a lot to digest
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I would have preferred a greater tilt to the forensic analysis of the bones and a little less on the general Anglo Saxon history beyond the immediate relevance, for example, the interesting snippet about the pelvic bone possibly belonging to Aethelflaed showing changes due to long experience of horse riding gives a suddenly vivid picture of that most remarkable woman. But exactly what were these changes, what level of exposure to riding will create these changes, do these, or other bones show other revealing tales as they must of their owners’ lives. These details give a clue to why these remains interest us so much revealing surprising information about the lives of our predecessors in unexpected ways due to the skills of Professor Jarman and her colleagues.There is nothing morbid in this any more than visiting an ancient parish church or a battlefield site however much altered, something remains to give us closeness to a people only separated from us by a wisp of time.on that point I would disagree with Professor Jarman when she refers to her subjects as “ a little like us” , These people were every bit as intelligent as are we and if magically transported to our times would adapt, fascinated by our technology, probably disgusted by our huge sprawling slum like cities notwithstanding the few impressive (mainly perhaps medieval buildings ? )to relieve the mediocrity, and repulsed by the degraded rural relics of Britain.
I was particularly pleased that throughout her account Professor Jarman did not seek to impose her social and political views upon what is presumably an educated sophisticated audience perfectly capable of selecting its own worldview without receiving a sermon……….unfortunately the epilogue contained the social lecture….
There must be a basement room in each publishing house containing a table, a chair and a bare light bulb where the author is brought to ensure the purity of their social views in the presence of the Inquisition. If inadequate weight is given to this during the bulk of the text then presumably the author, having been shown the instruments of torture, is encouraged to append a confession or apologia. I think this happened to Professor Jarman on her denunciation of Rule Britannia and its “infamous lyrics”. What infamous lyrics? Have you read them there are no “infamous lyrics” in or out of context. It’s a jolly bombastic anachronistic song with a great refrain all about resisting tyranny, nothing else, and if certain political groups want to project their own propaganda aims onto it that should be resisted, one would be just as entitled to accuse those singing the joyless dirge of the “Red Flag” of plotting judicial murder and torture, starvation and population displacement of millions for the greater good, as it were.of millions when at worst most will be concerned about marginal rates of tax and lunch ( it is very long, tedious and more than a little weird).
All nationalist anthems and songs are anachronistic and lyrics usually cringey, The Marseillaise frankly requires the administration of a powerful antipsychotic drug, Flower of Scotland made a big impact but is an increasing source of concern to many Scots not least as it dies a little more with every rendition so now befits a funeral, rather than a national occasion, the Irish National anthem likewise, tune is ok for first few lines but slowly proceeds towards its tedious conclusion as the composer’s transient inspiration staggers to , well, nothing. The finest of anthems belongs to Wales, but it’s fortunate that sung in Welsh its lyrics are not generally understood…hint , don’t trouble yourself. The point is that the lyrics serve two purposes . One is to give a communal expression, the other is to find a way of adding the human voice as a musical instrument and that is it.
To come back to “RuleBritannia”. Try this. Instead of “Britannia” put,say, “Italia” and instead of ‘Britons” put “Italians”.
Interesting isn’t it, I leave you to draw your own conclusions
Professor Jarman’s clear explanation of the Anglo Saxon, Danish and Norman succession with their intertwined relationships
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