Lead Sarcophagus Found in Notre Dame Ruins

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March 17, 2022

Archaeologists have found a handful of tombs and a lead sarcophagus in the ruins of the Notre Dame cathedral.

Lead sarcophagus found in Notre-Dame

After examining various clues, including filming inside the sarcophagus using a tiny camera, archaeologists think that the person buried in the sarcophagus was a religious leader. They dated the construction of the sarcophagus to the 1300s, just a century after the cathedral was built.

Other finds during the excavation include the bust of a bearded man, a pair of carved hands, and a number of sculpted vegetables. All were below the cathedral floor and, archaeologists say, were part of the original rood screen, a part of the building that partitioned the altar from the nave (keeping the people and the priests in separate areas). According to church records, the rood screen was destroyed in the 1700s.

Notre Dame cathedral in flames

A fire on April 15, 2019 had ravaged the iconic building, engulfing the attic and toppling the iconic spire while raining down debris on the floor and lower levels. Firefighters numbering in the hundreds battled through the night and saved the main structure and iconic bell towers of one of the world's most famous landmarks.

French President Emmanuel Macron has mandated that all repairs be completed in time for the 2024 Olympics, which will be in Paris. The archaeological team has one more week in which to complete its work; then, reconstruction will continue.

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