Radio Cadena Agramonte emisiora de Camagüey
Archaeologists have unearthed an ancient limestone sarcophagus in the two-storey annex bordering the courtyard of St Nicholas Church in the Turkish city of Demre (Antalya province), where the saint is believed to have been born.
Ebru Fatma Findik of Mustafa Kemal University, who led the excavations for the past two years, told Anadolu Agency that they now hope to find an inscription on the sarcophagus that would allow them to clarify the identity of the person buried there, as well as better understand what era it dates back to. One of the key goals is to answer questions about the burial place of the bishop who gave rise to the character of Santa Claus.
The sarcophagus, made of local limestone, is modest in design and about two meters long. Most of it remains buried, with the underground section estimated to be between 1.5 and 2 meters deep. Initial assessments suggest similarities with other sarcophagi in the region.
Excavations at the ancient Christian church in southwestern Turkey have been ongoing since 1989. Before reaching the sarcophagus, archaeologists found animal bones and fragments of terracotta oil lamps, so they concluded that the area was a burial site.
Recalling that there have been several hypotheses about the burial place of St. Nicholas, and its exact location remains uncertain, Findik explained that "some historical sources suggest that he was buried near the sacred precinct of Myra." "The discovery of a sarcophagus near the church believed to house his remains reinforces the possibility that this area is indeed that sacred precinct," he added.
Although it is too early to draw definitive conclusions, archaeologists hope that further analysis will provide more data on the history of the church and its relationship with the revered saint. (Text and photos: RT)
