Ancient Cemetery Unearthed During Basement Renovation Near Paris!

In the winter of 2023, a homeowner in the Montconseil neighbourhood of Corbeil-Essonnes, a southern suburb of Paris, made a remarkable discovery while renovating their basement. As work progressed, they stumbled upon human remains, which led to the unearthing of an ancient cemetery. This cemetery, dating as far back as the 3rd century AD during the Late Roman period, had been in use for approximately 700 years.

Photo Credit: Archaeodunum

The Excavation and Findings

Following the homeowner’s discovery, archaeologists from Archaeodunum, a French archaeology company, were called in to conduct a full excavation. Their research, commissioned by the Regional Archaeology Service of Île-de-France, revealed 38 graves across a 52-square-metre area, spanning four rooms. This site had been used as a burial ground from Late Antiquity to the early Middle Ages, with the most recent grave dating back to the 10th century.

The area has long been thought to hold medieval graves, as it was previously identified as the site of the Notre-Dame-des-Champs chapel, built in the 7th century. However, the discovery of much older burials came as a surprise. Archaeologists now believe the chapel was constructed over the ruins of a pagan temple dedicated to a spring, although no physical remains of the temple or chapel have been found yet.

Burial Practices Across Centuries

The graves revealed a fascinating evolution in burial practices over time. The cemetery appears to have been in use during the Roman Empire and continued through the Merovingian period (476 to 750 AD). The Roman-era graves were relatively simple, with the dead buried in wooden enclosures that have since decayed. In contrast, the 10 graves from the Merovingian period were more elaborate, with bodies placed in plaster sarcophagi. These were arranged side by side in a fan-shaped pattern, and some of these sarcophagi were once covered by soft stone blocks featuring carved motifs like rosettes and crosses—common symbols on Merovingian tombs and early Christian worship sites.

Interestingly, none of the sarcophagi in this particular cemetery were decorated, which is unusual as Merovingian graves often featured intricate carvings and sometimes contained multiple individuals. Despite this, the site showcases the changing funerary customs over centuries, from simple Roman burials to more ornate Merovingian practices.

Photo Credit: Archaeodunum

Insights Into the Past

The excavation also revealed that the graves were arranged in parallel rows, despite the rocky terrain in the basement area. The skeletons uncovered are currently being studied in a laboratory, where scientists will analyse them to determine the sex, age, and health conditions of the individuals at the time of their death. Archaeologists hope that these findings will provide new insights into the lives of those who lived in the area during the transition from the Roman Empire to the medieval period.

Historical Significance of the Montconseil Neighbourhood

While this is not the first time burials have been found in the Montconseil neighbourhood, this discovery marks the first thorough excavation of the site. Scholars have known about the existence of medieval graves in the area since the 19th century, but it wasn’t until now that the cemetery has been properly studied. This excavation is part of a larger effort to gain a deeper understanding of the history of the region, particularly during Late Antiquity and the early Middle Ages.

This unexpected discovery of an ancient cemetery beneath a suburban home provides a fascinating glimpse into the region's rich past and the enduring legacy of those who lived in the area over the centuries. As research continues, it will undoubtedly shed more light on the cultural and historical context of this long-forgotten burial site.