Archeologist Found Human-Shaped Sarcophagus In Tombs Beneath The Notre Dame

Following a devastating fire at Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris, archaeologists discovered several tombs and a leaden sarcophagus dating to the 14th century.

Culture ministry officials announced on Monday that burial sites "of remarkable scientific quality" had been found during excavations for the reconstruction of the ancient church's spire.

A lead sarcophagus shaped like a human was found within one of the tombs. The coffins in the tombs were made for dignitaries during the 1300s - the century following the construction of the cathedral.

Along with the graves, painted statues were discovered close beneath the cathedral's present floor level, which were recognised as fragments of the original 13th-century rood screen, an architectural piece that separated the altar area from the nave.

Archaeologists were painstakingly cleaning and digging the sculptures coming from the soil, including a set of sculpted hands, during an AFP visit on Tuesday.

A bearded man's bust and several carved vegetables had been removed, with traces of paint still evidenevident. Thehas also previously seen inside the sarcophagus with a little endoscopic camera, which revealed that it was twisted by the load of the soil and rocks.

Dominique Garcia of the National Institute of Archaeological Research said the discovery will provide us with a deeper understanding of funeral practices in the Middle Ages.

Further, the discovery was uncovered as restoration crews planned to erect massive scaffolding to repair the structure and needed to assess the ground's sturdiness.

They also unearthed a 19th-century subterranean heating system, with the coffin nestled amid its ceramic pipes.

But despite the joy of the discovery, the archaeologists' time is running out. They have until March 25 to complete their job before the rebuilding process commences, in order to meet the cathedral's 2024 reopening deadline.