Human remains uncovered at Notre-Dame de Paris could be of the iconic French poet Joachim du Bellay (1522-1560), claim researchers from the (INRAP) Institut National de Recherches Archeologiques Preventives; some, however, have doubts.
Remains at Notre-Dame Cathedral; Joachim de Bellay
Fuelling the reformation of France and the enrichment of the French language, de Bellay famously wrote Le Defense et illustration de la langue française (The defense and illustration of the French language), becoming the co-founder of the historic Pleiade; a community of 16th-century French poets.
The writer´s grave has been sought since the 18th century, hoping to bring the poet closer to modern life and memory. To this day, no official proof has been provided but de Bellay is believed to be buried at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in the Saint-Crepin chapel.
The archbishop of Bordeaux living at the time was the first person to make this suggestion; de Bellay had once been a canon of Notre Dame and in his life, spent significant time in the clergy. Due to poor health, deafness and suffering from tuberculosis and chronic illness, the poet died when he was approximately 35 years old, on the night of January 1-2.
“There is the joy whereto each soul aspires, / And there the rest that all the world desires,” he wrote in A Sonnet to Heavenly Beauty.
Remains at Notre-Dame Cathedral are of Joachim de Bellay, claim researchers
In 2022, the excavations for the reconstruction of Notre Dame following the 2019 fire, revealed two leaded coffins. One was marked with epitaph, identifying the deceased as Canon Antoine de La Porte (1627-1720); a great benefactor of the cathedral. The identity of the second, however, was unknown, except for the fact that he had died in his 30s.
The mystery man was soon nicknamed “the horseman,” as researchers at the Toulouse University Hospital found a femur structure in the remains, which indicated the horse-riding habits of the deceased. The studies also showed bones with traces of tuberculosis of the cervical bones and chronic meningitis; a rare disease in the past.
Today, a further autopsy and a digital portrait have prompted the research director at France´s National Center for Scientific Research, Eric Crubezy to propose that the remains belong to the famous Joachim du Bellay.
“He matches all the criteria of the portrait,” stated Crubezy. “He is an accomplished horseman, and suffers from both conditions mentioned in some of his poems, like in La Complainte du desespere.” He also emphasised that his grave is yet to have been found.
Doubts at remains at Notre-Dame Cathedral
Other scientists and French authorities, however, have doubts, arguing that the claim was made without considering people with the same conditions and habits at the time who were not in the public eye.
“Just because his grave wasn´t found during the 1758 excavations of the Saint-Crepin chapel, it doesn´t mean his remains weren´t there,” argued Christophe Besnier, in charge of the Notre Dame excavations. He also shared that the results of an “isotope analysis,” showed “that we are dealing with a person who lived in the Paris region or in the Rhône-Alpes region until he was 10 years old.” Du Bellay, however, was born in Anjou, in the lower Loire Valley of western France.
“What more can we have?” pleaded the President of INRAP Dominique Garcia about the lack of proof of the deceased person. Further studies will now be conducted, including finding the exact age of the man, yet an official identification is impossible without comparative DNA.
“What more can we have? Find his toothbrush to check that the DNA matches? His age and pathology alone offer remarkable statistical solidity,” argued Garcia, urging to mark the revealed remains as the poet´s and hold onto his legacy.
