Remains found under a church floor in the Netherlands may belong to the famous musketeer d'Artagnan, Sky News reports, writes UNN.
Details
Archaeologists believe these could be the "lost" bones of the soldier who inspired the hero of the famous novel "The Three Musketeers."
Workers discovered a grave with human remains in front of the altar after part of the floor of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Maastricht subsided.
Experts are now rushing to confirm through DNA analysis whether the skeleton belongs to the famous French musketeer Charles de Batz de Castelmore d'Artagnan, and numerous items found in the grave also point to the owner's identity.
D'Artagnan gained popularity more than 150 years after his death when a fictionalized version of his exploits portrayed him as the main character in Alexandre Dumas' 1844 novel.
The real musketeer served French King Louis XIV, later becoming Captain-Lieutenant of the Musketeers of the Guard.
The nobleman was killed on June 25, 1673, during the French siege of Maastricht in the Franco-Dutch War, after being wounded in the throat by a musket ball.
Transporting his body back to Paris in the summer heat would have been difficult.
The church where the body was found stands next to the site where the French army camp was located.
The body was also found next to a bullet fragment and a coin dating from the relevant period, experts say.
A letter dated around the time of his death states that he was buried in consecrated ground.
Jos Walcke, a deacon at the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, helped excavate the skeleton and is 99% certain that the remains belong to Charles de Batz de Castelmore, known as Count d'Artagnan.
Mr. Walcke joked: "Under the altar - it can't get any holier. When you sum it all up, it seems plausible to us. But, of course, nothing is known yet."
The church had previously been identified as a possible resting place for the 17th-century soldier.
DNA obtained from the jawbone is now being tested against the DNA of d'Artagnan's descendants to see if there is a match.
Archaeologist Wim Dijkman told Reuters: "This has really become a top-level investigation where we want to be absolutely sure, or as sure as possible, whether this is the same famous musketeer who was killed here, near Maastricht."