Santa Claus Legend Comes to Life with New Sarcophagus Discovery
- Milton Quintanilla Crosswalk Headlines Contributor
- Published Dec 18, 2024
Archaeologists in Turkey have discovered a sarcophagus believed to have belonged to Saint Nicholas, the 4th century bishop who gave the inspiration of the character, Santa Claus.
"We believe that we have encountered a sarcophagus to be in situ (original position) for the first time," associate professor Ebru Fatma Findik, who is heading the excavation team through Hatay Mustafa Kemal University's Department of Art History, told Fox News.
During an excavation by Turkey's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the sarcophagus was found at St. Nicholas Church in the two-story annex in the Demre neighborhood of Antalya. In the fourth century, Saint Nicholas served as a bishop who lived in the ancient city of Myra.
"While drilling inside the structure, we encountered a surprise sarcophagus," Findik said.
"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."
According to Findk, the lid contained a handle, and the underground part of the approximately 2-meter-long sarcophagus is estimated to be 1.5-2 meters high.
"According to initial evaluations, its similarity to the types of sarcophagi in the region is striking," Findik continued.
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," Fındik told A News.
"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."
Prior to the discovery of the sarcophagus, the archaeological team found other artifacts of interest.
"In addition, many terracotta oil lamp fragments and animal bones were unearthed before reaching the sarcophagus during the drilling," Findik said.
Moving forward, Findik said the team will continue to gather 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.
Archaeologists in Türkiye believe they have discovered the tomb of Saint Nicholas, famously known as Santa Claus 🇹🇷 pic.twitter.com/T1Wx40gp7P
— Daily Turkic (@DailyTurkic) December 6, 2024
"As part of the project, we will be happy to complete the excavation and restoration of the area where the sarcophagus is located and contribute to our country's tourism."
Photo Credit: ©inhauscreative
