The fire of Notre Dame mourned France and the whole world April 15, 2019. Is that this cathedral, a Parisian icon, was not only one of the most visited places by tourists, but also hides secrets and unique stories.

And one of these mysteries came to light between March and May of this year when, in the midst of the restoration work, two human-shaped lead sarcophagi were found inside.

Placed next to the choir of the nave, in different depths and places, were the two tombs Good conditions.

The mystery of the sarcophagi of Notre Dame

The two graves were unearthed during the preparatory work of the reconstruction of the cathedral towerpartially collapsed from the effects of the fire, the site detailed estrepublicain.fr.

Until that moment, little was known about them and, therefore, also to whom they belonged.

Therefore, both sarcophagi were sent to the Forensic Institute of Toulouse so that the bones of the deceased and the other objects that were found there were opened and studied. The investigations advanced and today, fortunately, we can already know their secrets.

The sarcophagus discovered in Marchdates from “between the fourteenth century and the end of the seventeenth”, explained Christophe Besnier, head of the excavations. In this case, it contains the remains of an embalmed man whose identity has not yet been established.

Furthermore, according to Eric Crubéry, an anthropologist at the University of Toulouse III who took part in the research, this the man would die between the ages of 25 and 40probably due to a chronic meningitis related to tuberculosisdetailed on this site.

Bone studies have revealed this “Since I was young I have practiced horse riding” and the regular handling of weapons. It is believed that he was a person of high-ranking, wealthy and privilegedbecause “only 4 percent of the nobility […] had the option of being embalmed or buried in a lead coffin,” Crubéry explained.

A famous priest, in the other coffin

The second sarcophagus contained an epitaph, medals and a plaque mentioning the canon Anthony de Laportepriest who died in 1710, at the age of 83, was a prelate (that is, occupied a high rank in the ecclesiastical hierarchy) and whose portrait is kept in the Louvre Museum.

In medieval and modern times, Burials in Notre Dame Cathedral. In this case, the spaces where the sarcophagi were found were located near the choirwhere they used to bury bishops and archbishops.

“More than 300 people were buried in Notre Dame” and this type of burial was “reserved for an elite” because “lead was very expensive,” emphasized Christophe Besnier.

More results in the coming months

200 samples were taken from these remains which have not yet been thoroughly analysed. Carbon 14 dating tests will be carried out on them in order to locate them greater precision the seniority of the first deceased. The first results are expected for the first half of 2023.

Based on what you post vestrepublicain.frthe sarcophagi will remain in the hands of National Institute of Preventive Archaeological Research for another two years before being handed over to the Ministry of Culture, which will ultimately decide their fate.

In this case, the bodies could be buried again as was the case for other remains found during the excavations.