In March 2022, during preparatory work to rebuild the church steeple, workers found a well-preserved sarcophagus. It was 20 meters underground and lay among the brick pipes of a 19th century heating system.
According to preliminary estimates, the sarcophagus dates back to the 14th century. Scientists have already looked inside the find with an endoscopic camera, and found that inside the find there is part of a skeleton, a pillow of leaves, fabric and as yet unidentified objects.
The sarcophagus was removed from the cathedral on April 12, 2022, representatives of France’s national institute for archaeological research, INRAP, said. It is now in storage in a safe place, after which it will be sent to the Institute of Forensic Medicine in the southwestern city of Toulouse.
Forensic experts and scientists will then open the sarcophagus and examine its contents to determine the sex of the skeleton and its state of health, said lead archaeologist Christophe Besnier.
If it turns out to be in fact a medieval sarcophagus, we are dealing with an extremely rare burial practice.
Christophe Besnier, lead archaeologist
Scientists also hope to determine the social rank of the deceased. Given the location and style of burial, the man appears to have belonged to the elite of his time.
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