Archaeological dig at Notre-Dame unearths 2,000 years of history
The tragic 2019 fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral led to major discoveries during restoration work. Archaeologists unearthed treasures dating back from antiquity to the 19th century.
Busts of the crucified face of Christ, the torso of a man wearing a tunic are some of the artifacts on display at the Musée de Cluny, a museum of medieval art in Paris, where visitors can contemplate nearly ten centuries of history. Around 30 fragments from Notre-Dame Cathedral's rood screen, a stone tribune adorned with statues, are being exhibited for the first time. The tribune formed an enclosure between the choir and the nave where the faithful were seated.
“We thought these elements had been lost forever,” said museum's director Séverine Lepape, as she revealed the sculptures, which were made in 1230.
‘It's unbelievable’
The remains were unearthed during excavations carried out prior to the reconstruction of the cathedral, after the April 2019 fire.
Around 15 of the medieval sculptures were unearthed during renovation work in the 19th century led by French architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc (1814-1879) .
WatchThe renaissance of Notre-Dame Cathedral: Behind the scenes of a monumental restoration
The 2022 discovery of two coffins beneath the nave of Notre-Dame were particularly publicised in French media reports.
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The renaissance of Notre-Dame Cathedral: Behind the scenes of a monumental restoration
