Excavations with a taste of unfinished business

“What we show here is study material: the analytical work is in its infancy, warns Damien Berné, museum curator and curator of the exhibition. It is a milestone in the collective research project, a selection of fragments so that the public understands what we are dealing with. » The research project led by Inrap (National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research), bringing together dozens of researchers from various institutions, is in fact only at its beginnings: the urgent phase of fixing the pigments, essential for that the medieval colors do not evaporate, is not yet complete. The discovery of this fragile and unique archaeological material was fought hard for by the archaeologists during the excavations, pressed by the deadlines for the restoration of the cathedral. Initially discovered in the same area, two lead sarcophagi (see ill.) are also the subject of a study program, which aims, among other things, to determine their identity. The hypothesis of the burial of the poet Joachim Du Bellay (1522-1560) in the more luxurious of the two sarcophagi was relayed during a press conference in September, although Inrap archaeologists have isotopic analyzes at their disposal. formally contradicting it. Less sensational, the excavations carried out outside were hampered by the urgency of the deadlines imposed by the public establishment Rebuilding Notre-Dame: a missed opportunity, given the opportunities to explore the ancient and medieval levels on the Île de la Cité are rare.