6 September 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Intact Bodies of Catalan Nobles Discovered in Santes Creus Monastery

A team of archaeologists and anthropologists found the human remains of a dozen members of the Catalan nobility dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries at the Royal Monastery of Santes Creus, a Catalan cultural heritage site in northeastern Spain.

The discovery was made after the restoration of the ancient Gothic cloister began in April of 2023 and six sarcophagi were opened.

In a press release, the autonomous community of Catalonia’s Department of Culture, the not-for-profit “La Caixa” banking foundation, and a team of researchers announced their “exceptional discovery” at the Gothic cloister of the Royal Monastery of Santes Creus in Tarragona.

The restoration of the Gothic cloister in the municipality of Aiguamúrcia has been ongoing, but the release states that the finding of the intact royal burials was “totally unexpected,” revealing an unusual funerary complex.

The team called the find “exceptional” as it shows a chronological and social class uniformity as well all the diversity of cases, the good state of preservation of bones and bone tissue, and textile remains.

Prior to opening the tombs, experts suspected that they had already been looted, based on existing documentation.

Human remains found Royal Monastery of Santes Creus. Photo: Catalan Ministry of Culture
Human remains found Royal Monastery of Santes Creus. Photo: Catalan Ministry of Culture

According to the archaeologist Josep Maria Vila, the find was surprising, because “in principle, there shouldn’t be human remains in such good condition inside the sarcophagi, because they should have been looted.”

However, Vila pointed out that the human remains inside the coffins were preserved without being desecrated, adding that it is the first time such a find has been made in Catalonia

“In no other site we have excavated have we found so many remains in such good condition,” he said, adding that the burial site at Santes Creus was left “as the monks had left it.”

According to a press release from the Catalan Ministry of Culture, the royals were buried in Santes Creus after King James II (also known as James the Just or James of Aragon) and his second wife Blanca d’Anjou to turn the monastery into ‘a pantheon of Catalan royalty’. From 1291 to 1327, James served as King of Aragon and Valencia, as well as Count of Barcelona, among other titles.

The remains found were in excellent states of preservation. Photo: Department of Culture of the Generalitat of Catalonia
The remains found were in excellent states of preservation. Photo: Department of Culture of the Generalitat of Catalonia

At the Royal Monastery of Santes Creus, restoration work started in April of last year. Their goals included restoring the monastery’s famous tombs and waterproofing the roof. They discovered six stone sarcophagi buried in one of the walls during this process. This room, called the cloister, is well known for housing the massive, elaborately built stone coffins that mark the resting places of many noble families from the 1300s.

The sarcophagi within the monastery are adorned with heraldic symbols, aiding in the identification of the nobles entombed within as members of the Cervelló, Cervera, Queralt, Puigvert, and Montcada families.

Human tissue and textile fabric samples were carefully extracted from the tombs. These samples are expected to provide invaluable insights into various aspects of the individuals’ lives, including their identities, dietary habits, potential illnesses, living conditions, burial practices, and rituals.

When taken as a whole, the investigations may clarify the funerary customs and burial practices of the Catalan nobility in the Middle Ages.

Cover Photo: Commons

Related Articles

Crowned figure holding a 13th-century falcon found in Oslo

17 December 2021

17 December 2021

Archaeologist Ann-Ingeborg Floa Grindhaug discovered a three-inch-long figure carved from bone or antler amid the ruins of a fortified royal...

The Mysterious Figure of Anatolia: Alexander of Abonoteichus, the False Prophet of Rome

12 February 2025

12 February 2025

In the annals of history, few figures are as intriguing as Alexander of Abonoteichus, the self-proclaimed prophet who captivated the...

A 1,500-Year-Old Roman Settlement Discovered in Bulgaria

21 March 2025

21 March 2025

In a remarkable turn of events, a team of archaeologists conducting preliminary excavations ahead of a transit gas pipeline project...

A rare sheep carriage and ancient chariots found near mausoleum of China’s first emperor

28 October 2023

28 October 2023

A rare “six-sheep” carriage and a four-wheeled wooden chariot were discovered near the mausoleum of Qinshihuang, China’s first Emperor during...

Two more Giants discovered at Mont’e Prama in Sardinia, Italy

7 May 2022

7 May 2022

Two more Giants have emerged from the Mont’e Prama excavations in Sardinia: both of the new statues have been described...

Burial of Ascetic Monk in Chains Reveals Surprising Identity: A Woman in Byzantine Jerusalem

15 February 2025

15 February 2025

A recent archaeological discovery near Jerusalem has challenged long-held beliefs about ascetic practices in the Byzantine era, revealing the remains...

Archaeologists Find Ornate Roman Domūs in Nimes

25 February 2021

25 February 2021

Archaeologists conducting archaeological excavations in the French city of Nimes have discovered the remains of two high-status Roman domus (houses)....

A rare statue of K’awiil, Mayan god of Lighting have uncovered in Mexico

1 May 2023

1 May 2023

In southeastern Mexico, archaeologists uncovered a rare sculpture of a powerful Mayan god near the path of a large-scale rail...

Relief masks discovered in Turkey’s ancient city of Kastabala

7 January 2022

7 January 2022

In the ancient city of Kastabala (Castabala), which dates back to 500 BC, located in Turkey’s southern province of Osmaniye,...

Mine-clearance divers discovered an ancient shipwreck dating from the 3rd century BC

25 June 2023

25 June 2023

As a result of collaborative training exercises between Croatian and Italian naval mine-clearance divers, one of the earliest fully preserved...

Bronze Age artifacts discovered near the residence of ‘Iran’s Napoleon’

6 July 2021

6 July 2021

Archaeologists in Iran have discovered a plethora of artifacts and damaged structures near a former residence of Nader Shah, dubbed...

The Largest Ancient Floor Mosaic in Cappadocia and Central Anatolia Region Uncovered -600 square meters-

12 November 2023

12 November 2023

The structure with the largest floor mosaic in Cappadocia and Central Anatolia Region was unearthed during the excavations carried out...

World’s oldest wooden structure ‘476,000 years old’ discovered in Zambia

20 September 2023

20 September 2023

An ancient wooden structure found at Kalambo Falls, Zambia—dated to about 476,000 years ago—may represent the earliest use of wood...

Bronze Age Settlement and Neolithic Relics Found at Skaņkalne Hillfort in Latvia

9 August 2025

9 August 2025

Archaeologists have uncovered remarkable evidence of ancient human habitation during the latest excavations at Skaņkalne Hillfort, offering fresh insights into...

Medieval Lincoln imp found in hidden trapdoor above toilet

18 April 2024

18 April 2024

Tracy and Rory Vorster living in Lincoln, England, have discovered a trapdoor in their bathroom with a grotesque face bearing...