Scientists from the University of Toulouse found the bodies of an elderly priest and a young nobleman, whose skulls were cut off after they died, in the tombs buried in Notre Dame Cathedral. Opening announced Guard.
The day after the Notre Dame cathedral caught fire three years ago, archaeologists were brought in to examine the damage. During excavations in the cathedral in early 2022, researchers discovered two unusual lead sarcophagi.
They found the remains of two wealthy men in the sarcophagi. The first was identified by a plaque in his sarcophagus. It was Antoine de la Porte, 83, who died on December 24, 1710. De la Porte was a member of the clergy in charge of the cathedral. His remains are well preserved: scientists were able to examine his bones, hair and beard, as well as pieces of clothing. Three medals were placed in the sarcophagus with him. The Confessor’s teeth were in perfect condition and his body showed almost no signs of physical activity, meaning he led an extremely sedentary lifestyle. His toe was showing signs of gout, an inflammation of the joints often referred to as the “disease of kings,” because alcohol and fatty foods cause the disease to begin.
The remains of the second man, a young man, show his hard life. There was no nameplate on his sarcophagus. This man was between the ages of 25 and 40 when he died. He took riding lessons from an early age. He lost most of his teeth in the last years of his life. Scientists have suggested that the man’s cause of death may have been chronic meningitis due to tuberculosis.
Although the man’s hair was not preserved, researchers did find leaves and flowers around his skull and on his abdomen. The man’s skull was cut off and his chest opened for embalming. As the authors of the find note, this was common practice among the nobility of that time. Now scientists are conducting additional research that may allow us to identify the man.