While the fire at the Notre Damn cathedral was a tragedy for the entire Christian world, its reconstruction has also brought about fascinating new discoveries.
Ahead of the iconic site’s grand reopening this weekend, archaeologists have had the opportunity to share with the world some of the various artifacts they have found during reconstruction.
France24 reports:
Busts of the crucified face of Christ, the torso of a man wearing a tunic are some of the artifacts on display at the Musée de Cluny, a museum of medieval art in Paris, where visitors can contemplate nearly ten centuries of history.
Around 30 fragments from Notre-Dame Cathedral’s rood screen, a stone tribune adorned with statues, are being exhibited for the first time. The tribune formed an enclosure between the choir and the nave where the faithful were seated.
“We thought these elements had been lost forever,” said museum’s director Séverine Lepape, as she revealed the sculptures, which were made in 1230.
…
Recent excavations following the 2019 fire uncovered around thousand pieces, including 700 fragments, some of which display polychrome traces that are well preserved.
Delicate slivers of colour adorn these fragile artifacts: reds, blues, ochres and golds. “The rood screen is an exceptional discovery; the likes of which you only get once every hundred years. When we find a 13th-century sculpture, we’re happy, but when we find 1,000, it’s unbelievable,” said archaeologist Christophe Besnier of the French National Institute for Preventative Archaeological Research (INRAP)
The blaze which took place in April 2019, devastated Paris’s iconic Gothic cathedral. It was said to have been l caused by an electrical short circuit or mishandling during renovation work that engulfed the roof and destroyed the 850-year-old spire.
Firefighters worked for hours to save the structure, preserving the main stone framework, iconic bell towers, and many relics, including the infamous Crown of Thorns.
The disaster prompted a global outpouring of grief and over €1 billion in donations for restoration.
More than five years after the event, restoration work is complete and the grand reopening is set to take place this weekend.
President-elect Donald Trump will be among those in attendance, describing his invitation as an “honor.”
“It is an honor to announce that I will be traveling to Paris, France, on Saturday to attend the re-opening of the Magnificent and Historic Notre Dame Cathedral, which has been fully restored after a devastating fire five years ago,” he wrote on Truth Social this week.
“President Emmanuel Macron has done a wonderful job ensuring that Notre Dame has been restored to its full level of glory, and even more so. It will be a very special day for all!”
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