Unexpected medieval child burial found in Hungarian archaeological excavation
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The largest archaeological excavation in Visegrád’s history has yielded extraordinary findings, including a recent discovery at the site of the former Franciscan church near the Visegrád Royal Palace. The dig has uncovered dozens of skeletons, likely belonging to monks and civilians, dating primarily between the early 15th and mid-16th centuries.
A remarkable discovery in the church nave
Archaeologists found an unusual cluster of tombs near the sanctuary in the church’s nave, Helló Magyar said. What was expected to be the resting place of an adult unexpectedly revealed a child’s skeleton, wrapped in a shroud without a coffin. Just below the child’s right femur, the outline of a larger object appeared. Upon careful excavation, archaeologists identified this as a well-preserved iron padlock, typical of 16th-century design. Additionally, a fist-sized stone was discovered near the child’s skull, close to the mouth.
Deeper excavation of the pit revealed the skeleton of an adult buried without a coffin, showing signs of severe degenerative issues that would have significantly restricted mobility. Interestingly, a second padlock was found on the adult’s right foot.
