Ancient burials at church lead to unique finds — including dentures. See the discoveries
Archaeologists in France found a trove of burials at an ancient church — and made an unprecedented discovery.
Researchers with the Institut national de recherches archéologiques préventives (INRAP) excavated the Saint-Genès church — which was founded in the seventh century and existed until it was dismantled in 1794, according to an Aug. 1 release from the institute. The excavations took place between May and June.
Here’s what was discovered within the 52 burials that archaeologists unearthed at the church.
A young woman — with ancient dentures
Of the dozens of graves discovered at the site, researchers said two dated to the Modern Age — which began after the Middle Ages in 1500 and lasted until the late 20th century.
One of the Modern Age burials contained a complete skeleton of a young woman with two dental prosthesis, according to archaeologists. The dentures were identical, and they likely served both aesthetic and practical purposes for the woman.
The teeth were made of a metal post attached to an artificial crown made of an material that experts think could be horn, antler or another kind of bone, researchers said. The metal post was inserted into the original tooth, which had been drilled down.
Experts said the procedure would have been complex and required an extensive knowledge of oral anatomy.
The dentures and the tomb’s placement within the church also indicate that the young woman likely held a privileged socioeconomic status, according to the institute.
Ancient dentures are considered a “unicum” — or unique — discovery in the archaeological world, the institute said.
Christian funerary artifacts
The remaining tombs were unearthed in the western half of the church and were distributed between three levels, researchers said.
Fifty of the 52 tombs were found inside the building in a basement. Experts said the two tombs found outside the building were likely a part of the parish’s cemetery, which was destroyed by modern construction and digging.
Most of the tombs followed Christian burial practices with bodies placed on their backs and heads facing to the west, according to archaeologists. Both male and female remains were found, and only a few children were identified.
Graves in the first level of burials were made of wooden containers and are the only tombs found to contain furniture alongside human remains, the institute said.
Archaeologists said the second level of burials surrounded a trapezoidal sarcophagus made of rock. The lowest level consisted of rock burials and tombs that were built into the ground and date to the mid-eighth century to the end of the 10th century.
A collection of at least nine individuals’ remains was also found between two walls, according to researchers.
Funerary objects found within the graves included rosaries and cross pendants, archaeologists said.
The Saint-Genès church is in Clermont-Ferrand, a city about 260 miles southeast of Paris.
Google Translate was used to translate the news release from INRAP.
This story was originally published August 2, 2023 at 5:57 PM with the headline "Ancient burials at church lead to unique finds — including dentures. See the discoveries."
