What happened to the bones of the Waterloo battlefield?

What happened to the bones of the Waterloo battlefield?

In June 1815 the French army under the command of Napoleon was decisively beaten by an allied army led by Britain and Prussia at Waterloo in what is now Belgium. This titanic clash took a terrible toll on both men and animals. An estimated 20,000 men lost their lives that bloody day. As archaeologists have attempted to unpick the events of Waterloo a mystery has emerged. What has happened to the remains of the soldiers who fought there?


Very few human or animal remains have been found on the site of the battle. However, an international team of archaeologists and historians have joined forces in a bid to solve this enduring puzzle. A new discovery this summer has found some astonishing evidence to now say why that is. It seems enterprising profiteers likely plundered the site for illegal bone trading, predominantly for the European sugar industry.


Joining Dan on the podcast is Professor Tony Pollard archaeological director of Waterloo Uncovered, historian and scholar Rob Schaefer and Bernard Wilkin Senior Researcher at the Belgian State Archive. They discuss their theory about the fate of the Waterloo remains and why so few have survived.


The paper Tony recently published on graves at Waterloo is available to all as a free open access download - These spots of excavation tell: using early visitor accounts to map the missing graves of waterloo.


Warning: this episode contains frank discussion of dead bodies, animal carcasses, mass graves and amputations.


This episode was produced by Mariana Des Forges, the audio editor was Dougal Patmore.


If you'd like to learn more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe to History Hit today!


To download the History Hit app please go to the Android or Apple store.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jaksot(1489)

Notre Dame

Notre Dame

Join Dan Snow in the heart of Paris as he kicks off his summer series exploring Europe’s greatest historic sites. From a leafy Montmartre café to the towering Gothic Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Dan teams...

3 Elo 202539min

5 Reasons the Allies Won the War

5 Reasons the Allies Won the War

What really tipped the scales in the Allies’ favour during World War II? In this episode, we break down five critical reasons behind the Allied victory - from strategic coordination to Hitler’s own ca...

31 Heinä 202545min

Emperor Titus

Emperor Titus

In this episode, we explore the remarkable - and often overlooked - life of Emperor Titus. We uncover the dramatic events that defined his life and reign: from the bloody conquest of Jerusalem to the ...

29 Heinä 202544min

Churchill vs Attlee: The Election That Changed Britain

Churchill vs Attlee: The Election That Changed Britain

It was one of the most dramatic political upsets in British history. Just weeks after leading Britain to victory in Europe, wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill was defeated in a landslide by Clem...

27 Heinä 202544min

Is James I an Underrated King?

Is James I an Underrated King?

We dive into the reign of the first Stuart monarch of England, his political savvy, and the controversies that shaped his rule. From the Gunpowder Plot to the King James Bible, we ask whether history ...

24 Heinä 202536min

War of the Worlds: Orson Welles' Alien Invasion Hoax

War of the Worlds: Orson Welles' Alien Invasion Hoax

In 1938, Orson Welles’ War of the Worlds radio broadcast stunned America. It was a defining moment in broadcast history - reports claimed it caused mass panic, with listeners believing Martians had tr...

22 Heinä 202540min

Pirates: The Pirate Hunts

Pirates: The Pirate Hunts

As the Golden Age of Piracy drew to a close, the oceans turned into hunting grounds where pirates became prey. Dan tells the dramatic tale of the rise and fall of Bartholomew Roberts, or Black Bart, o...

20 Heinä 202531min

How did the Colonies win the American War of Independence?

How did the Colonies win the American War of Independence?

In 1775, American revolutionaries went to war with the British. Seeking independence from colonial ties, they fought more than 150 battles over eight years.How did a relatively new nation of just 2.5 ...

17 Heinä 202550min

Suosittua kategoriassa Historia

olipa-kerran-otsikko
gogin-ja-janin-maailmanhistoria
mayday-fi
huijarit
mystista
tsunami
totuus-vai-salaliitto
rss-ikiuni
konginkangas
rouva-diktaattori
rss-subjektiivinen-todistaja
rss-i-dont-like-mondays-2
sotaa-ja-historiaa-podi
tiedetta-ja-sirkushuveja-vanhojen-aikojen-podcast
rss-kirkon-ihmeellisimmat-tarinat
rss-peter-peter
historiaa-suomeksi
maailmanpuu
rss-iltanuotiolla
romani-podcast