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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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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.<\/p>\n
French experts today call the discovery “extraordinary and emotional.”<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
The revelations were made yesterday as other experts were called in to do preventive excavations on the cathedral floor.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The fire destroyed almost the entire building as President Emmanuel Macron vowed to rebuild and open the cathedral within five years.<\/p>\n
Excavations also uncovered a heating pipe system installed under the 19th-century floor.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
They added that there were no identification inscriptions inside.<\/p>\n
The searches continue.<\/p>\n
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