Since the devastating fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France on April 15, 2019, a massive restoration project has been underway.
In addition to the reconstruction, archaeologists have explored the site and unearthed thousands of ancient artifacts.
The discovery of an artifact does not necessarily mean we have answers – more research and study is often required to better understand the story behind the find.
Archaeologists have discovered 100 burials during excavations at the ruins of Notre Dame Cathedral. (Chesnot/Getty Images I Julian De Rosa/AFP via Getty Images)
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In 2022, archaeologists discovered two lead sarcophagi beneath the crossing of the cathedral's transept. A sarcophagus is a coffin container used for the burial of wealthy individuals and leaders.
One of the dead was quickly identified as Antoine de la Porte, a priest of the cathedral who had died in 1710.
The other remains unknown but has recently been hypothesized to be Joachim du Bellay, a famous French poet who died in 1560, according to a Sept. 17, 2024 news release from the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeology (INRAP).
A new hypothesis suggests that the previously unidentified man was named Joachim du Bellay. (Bridgeman via Getty Images)
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Du Bellay was thought to have been buried in the cathedral next to his uncle, at his family's request, but his grave has never been found.
Lead researcher Eric Courbezi, a professor of biological anthropology at the University of Toulouse III, and his team based their hypothesis on evidence including an autopsy that revealed the individual had bone tuberculosis and chronic meningitis, both rare at the time, and a medical history that matches that of Du Bellay.
Additionally, according to Euronews, the structure of the man's femur is consistent with someone who spent a lot of time riding horses, a detail that also fits with Du Bellay's life.
In 2022, archaeologists discovered two lead sarcophagi during excavations. (Julian De Rosa/AFP via Getty Images)
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“He ticks all the boxes for a portrait: he was a skilled equestrian and suffered from two conditions which are mentioned in some of his poems, such as in 'Lament of the Desperate' as 'this storm that clouds (his) mind'; he was from a royal family and close to the Pope,” Courbezi told La Croix International.
Despite the evidence supporting the hypothesis, some researchers remain skeptical.
“Several elements support this hypothesis: isotope analysis of the teeth suggests that this individual lived in the Paris region or the Rhône-Alpes region until the age of 10. However, we know that Joachim du Bellay grew up in Anjou,” INRAP archaeologist and excavation leader Christophe Besnier told the outlet. “Moreover, the fact that his grave was not found during the 1758 excavations at the Saint-Crépin chapel does not mean that his remains were not there.”
Notre Dame Cathedral is undergoing renovations in preparation for its reopening in December 2024. (Luis Boza/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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Since the 2019 fire, more than 100 graves have been identified and 80 bodies excavated in the cathedral, according to INRAP.
More than 50 archaeologists were at the site and were involved in 14 survey operations, sources said.
The cathedral is currently scheduled to reopen in December 2024.
