Early medieval stone coffins found hiding in plain sight below the streets of a French city

Archaeologists have recovered antique treasure hiding in plain sight below the streets of a French city. The newly found antiquity of several sandstone sarcophagi was uncovered in the downtown of Dijon, in eastern France. The sarcophagi are stone coffins typically adorned with a sculpture or inscription.

These sarcophagi, found during excavations conducted by the National Institute of Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP), belong to the early medieval period, announced INRAP in a press release.

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The exact site of excavations was at the foot of the Church of Saint-Jean in Dijon, which is an interesting site for historians and archaeologists alike for its long-standing history.

Medieval stone coffins found below the streets of a French city

The sarcophagi found in Dijon were made of sandstone and had a trapezoidal shape. These shapes are characteristic of the Merovingian period, which dates back to the 6th-8th century, as per the excavating team. Hence, these sarcophagi are more than 1200 years old and some were found in damaged form due to overlapping burials.

Apart from these medieval-era stone coffins, archaeologists also unearthed limestone sarcophagus with a cuboid shape and a heavy, curved lid. The team said that this stone coffin appears to be much older than the sandstone ones, perhaps dating to the 5th century.

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Three skeletons were also foundinside the limestone coffin, indicating that it was once used for multiple burials over different periods. Researchers at INRAP will now deep dive into these skeletons to find their exact date of origin.

The Church of Saint-Jean was once described as a “funerary basilica” by Merovingian author Gregory of Tours. The present standing building there is, though, quite different from what Gregory described in his books.

The current building was constructed at the site during the 15th century in the Gothic style and the structure underwent various modifications in the subsequent centuries. During the French Revolution, the building became national property and subsequently served multiple secular uses. Finally, it became the Parvis Saint-Jean Theatre in 1974, which is still operating today.

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In the early Middle Ages, Dijon was a fortified town with a necropolis outside the city walls, next to the site of the church.

In addition to the sarcophagi, excavations have unveiled numerous other graves within this necropolis, notably consisting of tombs crafted from stone slabs. Of particular interest are the abundant child burials, indicative of the period spanning the 11th to 13th centuries.

Post the 15th century,the necropolis shrank to a single region south of the Church of Saint-Jean, housing burials possibly extending as late as the 18th century.

(With inputs from agencies)