Workers discover graves from the early Middle Ages in St. Gallen
Published: Thursday, Mar 21st 2024, 12:10
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In the city of St. Gallen, several graves from a previously unknown cemetery from the early Middle Ages have come to light during the construction of a district heating network near Marktplatz/Bohl. According to a press release, the cantonal archaeology department sees the discovery as a "minor sensation".
The age of the human bones dates back to between the late 7th and 9th century AD. This was the result of examinations of bone samples at ETH Zurich, the St. Gallen State Chancellery wrote in a press release on Thursday. It continued: "This dating is a minor sensation and shows how far the area occupied by the monastery of St. Gallen extended in the early Middle Ages."
The five skeletons found are facing east, as is usual for Christian graves. According to the press release, four adults were found, three aged between 30 and 40, two of them men.
Skeletons are being examined further
Individual bones would show "pathological changes", the teeth would show wear and decay. Further examinations of the skeletons are now being carried out by the intercantonal working group for the care of anthropological finds.
In addition to the graves from the early Middle Ages, the cantonal archaeologists also discovered remains from the town's history: parts of the old town hall and the moat that was filled in in the 15th century.
©Keystone/SDA
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