Remarkable Discovery: Unearthing Human Child Bones at Feudal Castle of Moha

2023-08-09 17:18:00

It is a remarkable discovery which has just been made in July at the feudal castle of Moha: human bones of a child have indeed been unearthed under the remains of the medieval chapel, announced the archaeologists who worked on the site last month.

“We resumed the excavations of the castle chapel for regarding three years with students in art history and archeology from the universities of Namur and Liège, since this year”explains Julien Adam, archaeologist in charge. “The purpose of these excavations is to refine our knowledge of the origins of the castle. The structures belonging to the oldest phases as well as the remains of the castle chapel are at the heart of our research and we have unearthed under its circulation levels the well-preserved grave of a child aged between three and five years old at the time of his death, according to the first estimates”he says once more.

The discovery was made the second week of July by a student from the University of Namur. Bones had already been reported in the 19th century, during work. It is therefore no coincidence that the team set out to dig around the building, which they were able to locate underground thanks to drawings: “We thought that the chapel must be a good candidate for the discovery of bones but we had not yet found any until now.“, continues the archaeologist.

The discovery is major in more ways than one. First, because it is a first since scientific excavations were undertaken in the castle during the 1990s.

In addition, in the pit was found a coin dating back to the reign of Louis VIII (1223-1226) or Louis IX (1226-1270), and which currently constitutes one of the rare indices concerning the time. which this child may have lived: “This artefact alone, however, does not allow us to date the burial period with certainty”nuances the archaeologist.

Another interesting element: the position in which this child was found, buried according to the Christian rites in force in the Middle Ages: “There was no coffin, the grave was dug on the ground, the child’s arms were stretched along the body and the head was turned towards the west, a practice still followed at the time”concludes Julien Adam.

The question of the possible exposure of the bones will be considered by the ASBL, which considers that “This discovery once once more attests to the importance of the scientific research carried out on the site of the Château de Moha, whose potential remains remarkable”.

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