An archaeological dig beneath Notre Dame Cathedral has uncovered an extraordinary treasure trove of statues, sculptures, tombs and parts of an original 13th-century rood screen.
The find included several ancient tombs dating back to the Middle Ages and a corporeal lead sarcophagus buried beneath the floor of the transept crossing at the heart of the fire-ravaged monument.
French experts have described the discovery as “extraordinary and emotional”.
“We uncovered all these treasures just 10-15 cm below the floor slabs. It was totally unexpected. There were exceptional pieces that document the history of the monument,” said Christophe Besnier, who led the scientific team for the excavation.
“It was an emotional moment. Suddenly we had several hundred parts, ranging from small fragments to large blocks, including sculpted hands, feet, faces, architectural decorations and plants. Some of the pieces were still stained.”
Photo: Denis Gliksman/InrapThe discovery was unveiled by France’s National Archaeological Institute Inrap on Thursday. A team from the institute was brought in to conduct a “preventive dig” under part of the cathedral’s floor between February and April before constructing a 100-foot-tall, 600-ton scaffold to reconstruct the monument’s spire.
Little remains of Notre Dame’s original rood screen, an elaborate partition between the choir and nave that separated the clergy and choir from the congregation. Some of these are in the cathedral storerooms, while others are on display in the Louvre. In Catholic churches, most were removed during the Counter-Reformation in the 16th and 17th centuries. The remainder of Notre Dame’s cross appears to have been carefully buried beneath the cathedral floor during the building’s restoration by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc – who added the spire – in the mid-19th century.
One of the most extraordinary pieces was an intact stone carving of a man’s head, believed to be a depiction of Jesus. Another block of the rood screen, believed to date from the 13th century, features a Gothic-style monument.
The head of a statue that experts believe could be Jesus. Photo: Denis Gliksman/InrapThe Inrap team was given a strict time frame and only one specific area to complete the excavation. After a fire swept through the 850-year-old cathedral, one of Paris’ most iconic and visited monuments, in April 2019, destroying almost the entire structure, President Emmanuel Macron promised to rebuild it and open it for worship in five years.
Last September, General Jean-Louis Georgelin, who was tasked with overseeing the restoration, said the cathedral structure had been made safe, meaning restoration and rebuilding of parts destroyed by fire could begin. He said the cathedral will be open for services and public visits in 2024, as promised.
Besnier said they identified several other rood screen slabs beneath the floor, but these were outside the specified excavation boundary. “We know they are there and will not be damaged. Hopefully we can uncover them at a later date,” he said.
The excavation also revealed a network of brick heating pipes laid underground in the 19th century.
Experts believe the lead sarcophagus may contain the body of a high church official, possibly dating to the 14th century. A camera inserted into the coffin had revealed plant remains beneath the deceased’s head alongside hair and fragments of cloth, but there was no plaque identifying the occupant.
Dominique Garcia, President of Inrap, said further research, including DNA testing, would be carried out, but added: “A sarcophagus containing a human body is not an archaeological object. These are human remains and as we examine the sarcophagus and analyze the body and other objects within, we must do so with respect.”
He said no decision had yet been made on where the body would be reburied after testing was completed. “It’s too early to tell. It is possible that it will be reburied somewhere in the cathedral.”