Santa Claus is often depicted flying through the night sky on Christmas Eve, but a team of archaeologists has discovered a sarcophagus containing the remains of a saint whose generous spirit is still celebrated more than 1,600 years later. may have been discovered.
“We believe that this is the first time we have encountered a sarcophagus in situ,” said Associate Professor Ebul Fatma Findik, head of the excavation team at the Department of Art History at Hatay Mustafa Kemal University. Ta.
The discovery was made at St. Nicholas Church in the Demre district of Antalya, Turkey, as part of excavations initiated by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
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The sarcophagus was discovered in a two-story annex of the church and is thought to be the original burial place of Saint Nicholas, a bishop who lived in the ancient city of Mana in the 4th century.
Excavations in Turkey have uncovered a sarcophagus believed to be the burial place of St. Nicholas. (Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye)
“While excavating inside the structure, we came across an amazing sarcophagus,” Findik said.
“We are working in a 20-meter-long, two-storey building that borders the church courtyard from the south. It has a slightly higher barrel-shaped roof.
The sarcophagus, which has a handle on its lid and is about 2 meters long, is estimated to have a height of 1.5 to 2 meters underground, Findik said.
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“Based on initial evaluations, the similarities with other types of sarcophagi in the area are striking,” Findik added.
This sarcophagus is strikingly similar to one used in the 4th century. (Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye)
She explained to Turkish news agency A News that the exact location of St. Nicholas' burial place remains unknown.
“Some historical sources state that Saint Nicholas was buried near the sacred area of the city of Myra,” Finduk told the News.
“The discovery of a sarcophagus near the church where St. Nicholas is thought to be buried may indicate that this site may indeed be the sacred site in question. We can say that we have arrived at archaeological evidence that supports “the burial site of St. Nicholas in a sacred area of the city.'' ”
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Before the team reached the sarcophagus, they discovered other interesting artifacts.
The sarcophagus was found in a two-story building next to the church, believed to be the burial place of St. Nicholas. (Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye)
“In addition, during the excavation, many terracotta oil lamp fragments and animal bones were unearthed before reaching the sarcophagus,” Findik said.
St. Nicholas, known for his acts of generosity, was born in the 3rd century Greek village of Patara, on what is now Turkey's southern coast.
It is said that his wealthy parents died when he was young and used their inheritance to help the poor, especially children.
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He served as Bishop of Myra and died in 343 AD.
Turkey's Ministry of Culture and Tourism believes its team may have discovered the sarcophagus of Saint Nicholas. (Image | Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye)
Almost 200 years after his death, his body was moved to the Church of St. Nicholas, built in his honor.
Findik said her team is looking forward to gathering more information as the excavation continues.
“The fact that a sarcophagus was unearthed so close to the church where the tomb of St. Nicholas is thought to be is very exciting to us,” Findik said.
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“As part of the project, we are happy to complete the excavation and restoration of the area where the sarcophagus is located, contributing to tourism in our country.”
