During recent renovations to convert a parking area into a public green space in the town of Eschwege, Germany, archaeologists discovered the remains of the medieval Church of St. Godehard beneath the asphalt. Residents were unaware that they had been parking their cars atop this historical site, located near the Nikolaiturm, according to Enikos.
The uncovered ruins belong to the 14th-century Church of St. Godehard, named in honor of the German bishop Gotthard of Hildesheim, who was canonized. The first known reference to Saint Godehard and the church appears in historical records dating back to 1340 during the Late Middle Ages.
During the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, the Church of St. Godehard was abandoned, leading to its eventual demolition in the late 16th century. Parts of the church were likely repurposed elsewhere in Eschwege when it was dismantled, with only its bell tower, known as Nikolaiturm, left behind. The Nikolaiturm was later converted into a fire station and watchtower.
As archaeologists began excavations at the site, they unearthed at least 30 graves of infants and young children, including newborns, buried outside the church's sanctuary and in mass graves. Researchers estimate that the remains were of children up to four or five years old at the time of death, according to Popular Mechanics.
"We have two burials where the legs are spread out as if they had been buried in diapers. That's really a bit sad. Someone really cried about them 400 years ago," said lead archaeologist Anja Rutter.
Experts suggest that the deliberate location of the burials indicates that the deceased were "eaves children." In the Middle Ages, if children died before they were baptized, they couldn't be buried on consecrated ground. Therefore, parents would place their graves as close to sacred areas as possible. Some would bury their children where rainwater dripping from the church roof would fall onto the graves, serving as "baptismal water" to provide spiritual protection after death, as explained by All That's Interesting.
"The closer you bury the dead to the altar area, the greater the chances that the responsible saint will come to his church on Judgement Day and collect the souls at the same time," Rutter said.
Researchers are also focusing on the stone walls of the medieval church. The church's foundations, made of hewn limestone, suggest that the structure covered an area of 40 to 50 meters. "Such stones were quite expensive in the Middle Ages. They must have been brought here over the water with some effort. Someone spent a lot of money here. This is a well-built and solid church," said Rutter in a translated statement to Hessischer Rundfunk.
In April, the site will host "Open Excavation Day," allowing residents to visit and explore the findings firsthand. "After 'Open Excavation Day,' special display boards and possibly even a model of the church will remain on-site to keep visitors engaged with the rich history beneath their feet," said Eschwege's mayor, Alexander Heppe.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.