During an archaeological excavation in the foundations of the Saint-Philibert Church in Dijon, Franceresearchers were surprised by an unexpected discovery: a tube Forgotten that it remained sealed for at least 400 years.
Understand:
- A 400 -year -old tomb was found in a church in France;
- During renewal work of the Saint-Philibert Church, archaeologists discovered a ladder that led to the tomb;
- Inside, the remains of dozens of people – adults and children were found;
- To the excavations They also revealed other tombs and sarcophagos ranging from the sixth century to the eighteenth.
Built in the twelfth century, the Saint-Philibert Church was deconsured and deactivated during the French Revolution. He has undergone some modifications in the following years and, in the twentieth century, began to be used as a salt deposit.
In 1974, a concrete slab with electric warming was installed in the church – which increased moisture and caused salt to create cracks in the stone pillars. In 1979, the site was closed for new reforms.
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Excavations revealed 400 -year -old tomb in church in France
The discovery of the tomb took place at the end of last year, during new renewal work conducted by archaeologists from the National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (Inrap) of France.
Hidden under the old concrete slab, a staircase led the team to the sealed deposit four decades ago. Within it, the researchers found the remains of dozens of people.
“A crypt was identified, probably dated from the 15th and 16th centuries. In it, the dead, both children and adults, are buried in coffins, with the bones of each individual being pushed to the sides to give way to the last dead,” said Inrap in communication.
Team found other tombs in the church
In addition to the bodies buried in the quadrincentnary tomb, the archaeologists also located tombs and sarcophages dating from the Merovingio period (VI – VIII) to the eighteenth century.
In the church’s ship, “burials on wooden coffins, from the fourteenth to the eighteenth century, arranged on east/west alignments. The deceased, almost all adults, were dressed or wrapped in shrouds, and very few objects were found in the tombs, as well as rare coins and two rosaries.”
