Archeologists and experts working on the renovation project of the Royal Monastery of Santes Creus recently discovered funerary remains of Catalan nobility in the six sarcophagi located in a Gothic cloister.
According to the announcement by the Catalonia Department of Culture, the discovery is “exceptional” due to the unexpectedly good condition of the remains and the textile they were buried with. The team of expert is now expected to study the remains in order to learn more about their biological and paleogenetic profile.
When opening sarcophagi, the scientists expected to find them looted. However, it turned out that they were untouched from the moment they were placed in Santes Creus Monastery.
“In principle, there shouldn’t be human remains in such good condition inside the sarcophagi because they should have been looted,” archaeologist Josep Maria Vila told Catalan News.
The individuals buried in the sarcophagi lived in the 13th and 14th centuries. The families they belonged to were identified based on “coats of arms” engraved on the tombs, but their real identity still remains unclear.
“With the study we are now starting, we hope to identify the historical figures with the recovered individuals,” archaeologist Josep Maria Vila said in an official statement.