Workers rebuilding the Notre Dame Cathedral following the damage caused by the tragic fire have unearthed a chilling discovery.
The cathedral is home to a 14th century 'Tutankhamun coffin' that's been hidden under its floor for more than 800 years.
Amongst the human-shaped coffin were several tombs, a pair of carved hands and the bust of a bearded man were also removed.
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Incredibly, the sarcophagus has been described as being 'completely preserved'.
It's thought that it belonged to a senior dignitary in the 1300s.
"You can glimpse pieces of fabric, hair and above all a pillow of leaves on top of the head, a well-known phenomenon when religious leaders were buried," said lead archaeologist Christophe Besnier.
"The fact that these plant elements are still inside means the body is in a very good state of conservation," he told The Sun.
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The new found artefact is said to be 'of remarkable scientific quality', according to France's culture ministry.
Despite the tragic fire in 2019, French President Emmanuel Macron promised to rebuild the 850-year-old landmark saying that the 'worst has been avoided'.
He added: "We'll rebuild this cathedral all together and it's undoubtedly part of the French destiny and the project we'll have for the coming years.
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"That's what the French expect [and] because it's what our history deserves."
More than 400 firefighters battled through the night to try and save the main frame of the building, which had been ravaged by flames.
Other parts of the structure are already on display in the Louvre museum.
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In terms of how much it cost to rebuild the priceless cathedral, experts have been inconsistent in their predictions.
"How do you price the unpriceable?" said Richard Woolf, an architect and expert in historic building conservation.
Alan Davies, another architect specialising in the conservation of historic buildings, said: "It costs whatever it costs… there can't be any cutting corners."
Robert Read, head of art at London insurer Hiscox, reckons the cost would have to be 'north of €1bn'.
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Ms Lévy of Fondation du Patrimoine pointed out that people 'should not rely on estimates made by people who haven't been inside the cathedral and haven't seen the damage'.
"We haven't collected too much money as we don't know how much money will be needed," she said.
"No figure has been confirmed yet. We are talking about art and handcraft."
Topics: World News
Anish Vij