In close proximity to a bustling railway terminus situated in the core of Paris, researchers have unearthed fifty sepulchers within an ancient burial ground. These findings furnish a rare perception into the existence in Lutetia, the precursor to the French capital, almost two millennia ago.
Miraculously, this buried necropolis had evaded discovery during numerous infrastructure projects over the years, and even the construction of the Port-Royal station on the historic Left Bank during the 1970s.
However, the planning for a new egress from the train station necessitated a thorough archaeological examination.
Camille Colonna, an anthropologist affiliated with France’s National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP), informed a press briefing that there had been prior “strong indications” suggesting the vicinity of Lutetia’s southern burial grounds.
The necropolis, identified as “Saint Jacques,” which stands as the most extensive cemetery from the Gallo-Roman era of Lutetia, had seen partial excavation in the 19th century.
During that earlier investigation, however, only artifacts deemed valuable were retrieved, while the majority of skeletal remains, funerary provisions, and other relics were left behind.
Subsequently, the burial site was re-covered and once again faded from public knowledge.
The INRAP team identified a segment that had remained untouched by prior excavations.
“Its existence has been unknown since ancient times,” stated Dominique Garcia, the president of INRAP.
Ms. Colonna conveyed the team’s considerable satisfaction at discovering a skeletal specimen with a coin lodged in its mouth, a find that enabled the precise dating of the interment to the second century CE.
The investigation, commenced in March, has yielded the discovery of fifty interments, all of which involved burial rather than cremation, a practice also prevalent during that epoch.
The Ferryman of the Underworld
The skeletal remains are attributed to the Parisii, a Gallic populace inhabiting Lutetia during the period when the settlement along the Seine River was under the dominion of the Roman Empire. These individuals are believed to be men, women, and children.
The deceased were interred in wooden caskets, the remnants of which are now primarily indicated by their metallic fasteners.
Over fifty percent of these burials were accompanied by grave goods, such as pottery vessels and ceremonial cups.
Occasionally, a coin was placed within the coffin, or even in the deceased’s mouth, a tradition known as Charon’s obol, reflecting a common practice of the era.
In Grecian mythology, Charon served as the ferryman of Hades, and this coin was considered a payment to transport the souls of the departed across the river Styx.
The excavating team also found remnants of footwear within the sepulchers, identifiable by the small nails that would have adorned their soles.
Ms. Colonna explained that these shoes were positioned “either at the feet of the deceased or beside them, serving as an offering.”
Adornments such as jewelry, hair ornaments, and belts were also unearthed.
The complete skeleton of a pig, along with that of another small animal, was found in a pit believed to have been a site for animal sacrifices to the deities.
In contrast to the excavations conducted in the 19th century, the current team intends to meticulously extract all findings from the necropolis for in-depth analysis.
“This undertaking will enable us to comprehend the lifestyle of the Parisii through their funerary customs, as well as assess their health by examining their DNA,” Ms. Colonna elaborated.
Mr. Garcia commented that the early historical record of Paris “is generally not well-documented.”
He further noted that the recently unveiled graves provide “an aperture into the realm of Paris during antiquity.”
