Researchers have solved a puzzling mystery in the City of Lights involving the unknown remains found at Notre Dame Cathedral by researchers from the University of Toulouse III and the French National Centre for Scientific Research.
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A mysterious man buried in a lead-lined coffin in one of Paris' oldest buildings has been identified, and it's an answer that excites not just historians, but also literature academics, poets, and artists. A 16th-century French citizen come back to life in the 21st century zeitgeist, is getting a renewed legacy of celebrity, centuries after his young death and burial.
This is not a usual occurrence in a city with an interesting affinity for the macabre and exploring the history of death. The Paris Catacombs, which chronicle 1,000 years of death in the city, and the Père Lachaise Cemetery, the most visited necropolis in the world, are city highlights for visitors intrigued by the other side, as much as the residents who respect it.
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So who was this Frenchman, the latest death study research object in Paris? And how did researchers conclude that these remains were indeed of who they believed?
After puzzling together a series of historical details with forensic and epidemiological data, researchers have come to a detailed conclusion on not just the man's identity but also how his life ended and what he may have experienced before his death.
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A Horseman and A Poet
The mystery coffin man's life and legacy
Following a 2019 cathedral fire in the famous Parisian landmark, a series of excavations took place as a part of Notre Dame's extensive restoration efforts. During one such 2022 endeavor, two sealed sarcophagi were located beneath the cathedral's nave.
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The coffins, though buried in the same location, were distinctly different from one another, offering a clue to researchers that these two burials were likely from two different periods of time. Still, the discovery only served to pique interest in the cathedral's excavations even more.
One lead-lined coffin was quickly identified as holding the remains of high priest Antoine de la Porte, a clergyman who died in his 80s, in 1710. While his connection to the church was well-documented, the second coffin did not have a name-plate nor bore any obvious connections to Notre Dame.
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When the nameplate-less coffin was opened, the embalmed skeleton of a man who exhibited several health afflictions was revealed. Due to his location near the high priest, the fact his remains were embalmed, and he was buried in a lead-lined coffin (a practice reserved for the upper echelons of society), researchers were thoroughly intrigued at whom this special burial could have been for.
Dubbed "the horseman" ("Le Cavalier") for the skeleton's exhibition of horse riding as observed in the wear of his bones, researchers spent two years piecing together all the details of whom this man could be.
Who was Joachim du Bellay?
Portrait of Joachim du Bellay by artist David d'Angers (1788-1856)
All the signs pointed to French Renaissance poet Joachim du Bellay as the mystery skeleton of Notre Dame.
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Born in 1522 in Liré, France, du Bellay's family were of noble stock in the Loire River Valley. He was a student of law before he joined a collective of poets known as Le Pléiade and published his first series of sonnets in 1549-1550.
Through the next decade, du Bellay turned his artistry to themes of religion after an inspiring journey to the Vatican with his cousin Cardinal Jean du Bellay, but as he saw more of Vatican court life -- and was somewhat turned off from it -- his fascinations then focused on that of ancient Rome.
Deeply influential throughout Europe and England, de Bellay was in ill health for most of his life. When he passed, he was to be buried near his uncle as per his affluent family's wishes.
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However, he was instead interred under the crossing of the transept in Notre Dame, effectively hiding his body from the world. It deeply puzzled historians when excavations of du Bellay's uncle's tomb in 1758 turned up empty for the poet.
Joachim du Bellay
Years:
1522-1560
Place of Birth:
Liré, France
Prominent Works:
Antiquités de Rome La Défense et illustration de la langue française Regrets
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How Did Researchers Determine Joachim du Bellay's Identity?
A collaborative project between history and science identified du Bellay's remains
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The identification of du Bellay's body was an interdisciplinary effort, utilizing clues from historical materials as well as scientific data derived from forensic analysis of the remains.
The Toulouse University Hospital's analysis determined that the man had suffered a series of chronic illnesses from bone tuberculosis to chronic meningitis.
Understanding that the man was also an avid horse rider tipped historians off to du Bellay, who was documented as a dedicated horseman throughout his life.
The bones also dated from the 16th century and showed that the man had passed away somewhere near his 40s, a profile that matched that of du Bellay. Comparing facial features from the remains to that of a portrait and other likenesses of du Bellay, researchers believed there was a consistency that warranted such a conclusion of identity.
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Joachim du Bellay died of meningitis in 1560 at the age of 37. The fact that his final resting place was unknown until now also led researchers to think that perhaps du Bellay's body was meant to be temporarily buried in this area of Notre Dame before being transferred to his family's plot, but somehow was left under the nave.
Or perhaps du Bellay's body was transferred to this prominent location in the cathedral following a posthumous publication of his completed works in 1569. Whatever the reason, a combination of scientific analysis and the details of du Bellay's well-documented and prolific life finally put a face to a name, if you will.
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