Archaeological excavations under Notre Dame Cathedral have uncovered an extraordinary treasure trove of statues, sculptures, tombs and parts of an original screen dating back to the 13th century.
The find includes several ancient tombs from the Middle Ages and a lead-shaped lead sarcophagus buried in the heart of the devastated monument under the floor of the transept crossing.
French experts described the discovery as “unusual and emotional.”
“We discovered all these treasures only 10-15 cm below the floor tiles. It was completely unexpected. There were outstanding pieces documenting the history of the monument, “said Christophe Bessie, who heads the scientific team for the excavations.
“It was an emotional moment. Suddenly we had several hundred pieces from small fragments to large blocks, including sculpted arms, legs, faces, architectural decorations and plants. Some of the pieces were still colored. “
Photo: Denis Glickman / Inrap
The discovery was unveiled by the French national archeological institute Inrap on Thursday. A team from the institute was called in to carry out “preventive digging” under a section of the cathedral floor between February and April, before a 600-ton, 100-foot-high scaffolding was built to renovate the monument’s spire.
So far, only a few pieces of the original Notre Dame screen remain, a richly decorated barrier between the altar and the nave, separating the clergy and the flock. Some are in the cathedral’s storage rooms, while others are on display at the Louvre. In the Catholic Church, most were abolished during the Counter-Reformation in the 16th and 17th centuries. The rest of Notre Dame’s courtyard appears to have been carefully buried under the cathedral floor during the restoration of the building by Eugene Violet-le-Duc – who added a spire – in the mid-19th century.
One of the most extraordinary works was the intact sculpture of a man’s head, believed to be an image of Jesus carved out of stone. Another block on the roof screen, believed to date from the 13th century, shows a Gothic-style monument.
The head of a statue that experts believe may be Jesus. Photo: Denis Glickman / Inrap
The Inrap team was given a strict time frame and only a specific area to excavate. After a fire engulfed the 850-year-old cathedral, one of the most symbolic and visited monuments in Paris, in April 2019, almost destroying the entire building, President Emmanuel Macron promised to restore it and reopen it en masse in five years.
Last September, General Jean-Louis Georginine, who was in charge of overseeing the restoration, said the safety of the cathedral’s structure had been established, which meant that the restoration and reconstruction of the sites destroyed by the fire could begin. He said the cathedral would be open for services and public visits, as promised in 2024.
Besnier said they have identified several other slabs from the roof screen under the floor, but they are outside the defined boundaries of the trench. “We know they are there and they will not be damaged. We hope to be able to reveal them at a later date, “he said.
Excavations also revealed a network of masonry heating pipes installed under the floor in the 19th century.
Experts believe the lead sarcophagus may contain the body of a senior church official, probably dating back to the 14th century. The camera placed in the coffin revealed plant remains under the head of the deceased, hair and pieces of cloth, but there is no sign identifying the occupant.
Dominic Garcia, president of Inrap, said further research would be done, including DNA tests, but added: “A sarcophagus containing a human body is not an archeological site. These are human remains, and as we examine the sarcophagus and analyze the body and other objects inside, we must do so with respect. “
He said no decision had been made on where the body would be reburied once the tests were over. “It is too early to tell. He may be reburied somewhere in the cathedral.
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