LONDON — Archaeologists who scanned the grave of William Shakespeare say they have made a puzzling discovery: His skull appears to be missing.

Researchers used ground-penetrating radar to explore the playwright’s tomb in Stratford-upon-Avon’s Holy Trinity Church. Staffordshire University archaeologist Kevin Colls, who led the study, said they found “an odd disturbance at the head end,” with evidence of repairs sometime after the original burial.

William Shakespeare was buried in his hometown church on April 25, 1616, two days after his death at age 52.

He said the finding supports a claim – first made in an 1879 short story but long dismissed as myth – that the Bard’s skull was stolen by grave-robbers in the 18th century.

“It’s very, very convincing to me that his skull isn’t at Holy Trinity at all,” Colls said.

Church records say Shakespeare was buried in his hometown church, 100 miles northwest of London, on April 25, 1616, two days after his death at age 52. His wife, Anne Hathaway, daughter and son-in-law were later buried beside him.

Colls and geophysicist Erica Utsi found the family members lie in shallow graves in the church chancel, rather than in a single vault. There are no traces of nails or other metal, suggesting they may have been buried in cloth shrouds rather than coffins.

Colls said the findings, featured in a documentary airing Saturday on Britain’s Channel 4 television, would “undoubtedly spark discussion, scholarly debate and controversial theories” – and some Shakespeare scholars remained skeptical.

Michael Dobson, director of the Shakespeare Institute at the University of Birmingham, said the grave-robbing claim “is still a piece of fiction.”

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