Ancient tombs and lead sarcophagus found under Notre Dame
Miscellaneous / / March 16, 2022
Archaeologists unearthed ancient tombs and a lead sarcophagus dating back to the 14th century while reconstructing Notre Dame de Paris in Paris after a fire in 2019. About it writes Guardian.
Burials were accidentally found under the floor during preparatory work to restore the spire of the cathedral in the central part of the building.
The lead sarcophagus, resembling the silhouette of a man, was supposedly made for an influential official in the 1300s - a century after the construction of the cathedral. The sarcophagus is perfectly preserved, but deformed under the weight of earth and stones.
With the help of a mini-endoscopic camera, archaeologists have already looked inside and found pieces of tissue, hair and a pillow of leaves on top, which may indicate that inside one of the religious leaders.
The fact that these organic elements are still inside suggests that the body may be in good condition, the scientists noted.
In addition to the tombs, a bust of a bearded man and elements of painted sculptures were found under the current level of the floor. identified as parts of an original 13th-century partition, an architectural element separating the altar area from nave.
Despite the importance of such finds, time has not stopped for archaeologists. They were given until March 25 to complete the work before the resumption of the reconstruction project in order to have time to completely restore the cathedral for the opening in 2024.
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