Notre Dame Reconstruction discovers ancient tombs and sarcophagi

Archaeological excavations at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris have uncovered several tombs in a 14th-century blue sarcophagus, French Culture Minister Roselyne Bachelot said in a statement on Monday. Excavations are taking place before the reconstruction of the church spiral, after a fire in 2019 threatened to completely worsen the cathedral. The discoveries were made just below the intersection of the transept of the church and its main body.

Bachelot stated in her statement that the remains were found in “remarkable scientific quality.” Archaeologists speculate that the coffin – which appears to have been pushed by the weight of centuries of compression through earth and stone – contains the remains of an important church dignitary. A miniature endoscopic camera was used to look inside the sarcophagus, which allowed researchers to discover pieces of cloth, hair and a pile of leaves resting on the deceased’s head – a typical cemetery practice for religious figures.

“The fact that these plant elements are still inside means that the body is in a very good state of conservation,” said Christophe Besnier, the team’s lead archaeologist. Guardian.

In addition to the tombs and coffins, archaeologists have also identified parts of painted sculptures as pieces of an original red screen from the 13th century. The France-Presse agency reported during a visit to the site of the excavation that archaeologists could see a bust of a bearded man and “vegetables” removed from the ground. Also unearthed in the excavation was an underground heating system served by 19th-century wall pipes.

The completion of the excavation project, scheduled for March 25, celebrates the rebuilding of the reconstruction works at the top, which will be completed in 2024, in time for the Paris Summer Olympics.