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Archaeological excavations under the burnt Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris have uncovered a treasure trove of statues, sculptures, extraordinary mounds and crosses dating back to the 13th century.
The finds include several ancient medieval mounds, and a sarcophagus in the shape of the human body, which were found under the floor destroyed by the flames.
French experts today call the discovery “extraordinary and emotional.”
“These treasures were discovered 10-15cm below the floor tiles. It was something unexpected. “They are a series of extraordinary pieces that testify to the history of the monument,” said lead researcher Christophe Besnier.
“It was an emotional moment. Suddenly we had these hundreds of small fragments like pieces of sculptures of human hands, feet, faces, plants and architectural decorations.
The revelations were made yesterday as other experts were called in to do preventive excavations on the cathedral floor.
One of the well-preserved pieces was the sculpture of the head of a man, believed to be a representation of Jesus, carved out of stone. On another block from the screen of the crosses was seen a Gothic-style monument dating back to the 13th century.
The development comes after a massive fire surprisingly engulfed the 850-year-old cathedral, one of the main symbols of Paris and one of the most visited monuments, in April 2019.
The fire destroyed almost the entire building as President Emmanuel Macron vowed to rebuild and open the cathedral within five years.
Excavations also uncovered a heating pipe system installed under the 19th-century floor.
Experts say the main sarcophagus may hold the body of a senior church official and dates back probably to the 14th century. A camera inserted into it by experts revealed plant debris under the dead man’s head, along with fragments of hair and clothing.
They added that there were no identification inscriptions inside.
The searches continue.
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