A roughly 2,000-year-old tomb that was recently discovered in the center of Paris offers an insight into the life of those who lived then.
View of two of the graves containing partial remains Photo from the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research
The National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) of France issued a news release on April 19 stating that fifty tombs were found during an archaeological dig near the Port-Royal train station.
The tombs are thought to represent a previously undiscovered section of the Saint Jacques necropolis, a 2,000-year-old cemetery used by people from Lutetia, a town that existed before Paris.
According to officials, the location appears to have been frequently used for roughly 200 years before being abandoned.
View of several of the ancient graves unearthed in Paris Photo from the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research
As is typical of old burial grounds, the graves are stacked closely adjacent to one another, occasionally overlapping, and showing little structure.
The deceased people were largely adult men and women, and their bodies were discovered with a variety of items, including nails, indicating that they had been buried in coffins that had since rotted.
A partial skeleton pictured in one of the graves Photo from the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research
There were also other household objects discovered, including pottery plates, cups, jewelry, and shoe fragments.
In addition, a number of artifacts that provided insight into the period's religious rituals were found.
Officials stated that a gold coin discovered in one of the tombs was probably put into the lips of the deceased person. The purpose of this rite was to make restitution to Charon, a mythical entity who is thought to be responsible for escorting the deceased to the underworld.
View of one of the graves Photo from the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research
A pig skeleton was also discovered by archaeologists, which France24 reports was probably sacrificed as a sacrifice to the gods.
A museum in Paris claims that the town of Lutetia, a Gallic and Roman colony, first appeared during the reign of Caesar Augustus in or around 27 B.C. Because the Seine River made trade easier, it developed into a major commercial center.
One of the graves containing eight ceramic vessels Photo from the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research
According to France24, the locals were known as the Parisii. Although there are still many unanswered questions about their past, archaeologists are hopeful that the newly discovered graves can shed more light on their way of life.
