In Turkey, archaeologists have discovered a sarcophagus thought to belong to Saint Nicholas, the 4th-century bishop who inspired the figure of Santa Claus.
Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism discovered a sarcophagus during an excavation at St. Nicholas Church, located in the two-story annex in Antalya’s Demre neighborhood. In the fourth century, Saint Nicholas was a bishop who lived in the ancient city Myra.
Associate professor Ebru Fatma Findik, who is heading the excavation team through Hatay Mustafa Kemal University’s Department of Art History, said,
“While drilling inside the structure, we encountered a surprise sarcophagus. We are working inside the 20-meter-long, two-story structure that borders the church courtyard from the south. This work, among the undecorated sarcophagus group, is made of local stone and has a slightly high barrel roof.”
Findk reports that the lid has a handle, while the underground section of the approximately 2-meter-long sarcophagus is estimated to be between 1.5 and 2 meters high
Speaking to A News, a Turkish news agency, Findik explained that the exact location of Saint Nicholas’ burial remains unknown.
“Some historical sources mention that St. Nicholas was buried near the sacred area of the city of Myra. The discovery of a sarcophagus near the church, which is believed to be the resting place of St. Nicholas, could indicate that this site may indeed be the sacred area in question. We can say that we have reached archaeological evidence that confirms historical sources about St. Nicholas’ burial place being in the city’s sacred area.”
Findik said the team will keep gathering more information
“The fact that a sarcophagus has been unearthed very close to the church that is thought to contain the tomb of St. Nicholas excites us greatly,” Findik said.
Image Credits:
• The Examination and Tryal of Old Father Christmas (1687) via Wikipedia by Josiah King with usage type - Public Domain
• Ruins on Gemiler Island via Wikipedia with usage type - Creative Commons License
Featured Image Credit:
• The Examination and Tryal of Old Father Christmas (1687) via Wikipedia by Josiah King with usage type - Public Domain
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