Archaeologists in Turkey said they have found the original burial spot of the saint who inspired the mythical figure of Santa Claus.
The excavation crew in Demre, located in the Antalya province in southern Turkey, found the precise spot of St. Nicholas’ burial in the church, which was built in the fourth century A.D., Live Science reported.
Researchers already knew that the saint was buried in the church, but his body was stolen approximately 700 years after his death, according to the website. That meant his exact interment spot remained a mystery.
Exact burial spot of St. Nicholas, inspiration for Santa Claus, discovered in Turkish church https://t.co/6HQ2eWZZc1
— Live Science (@LiveScience) October 19, 2022
The church, named after St. Nicholas, was built atop another church, People reported. It was constructed in 520 A.D. on top of the older church where St. Nicholas served as bishop, according to Live Science. He died in 343 A.D.
Professor Osman Eravşar, president of the Antalya Cultural Heritage Preservation Regional Board, said the “extremely important discovery” is the first of its kind from that time, according to Demirören Haber Ajansı (DHA), a Turkish news agency.
“We see this church as a discovery that will increase the architectural history and its iconographic value a bit more,” Eravşar told the news outlet.
New clues from the excavation site pointed to the church building’s similarity to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the placement of a fresco depicting Jesus, as hints to the precise burial spot, Live Science reported.
The site was located after a slab of floor laid in the 1970s was removed and the fourth-century floor was discovered, Eravşar told DHA.
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