During an expedition to caves in the Vercors massif in 2019, speleologists made an incredible discovery. At nearly 2,000 meters above sea level, they came across the bones of a 1,000-year-old skeleton.
It’s a discovery he probably didn’t expect to make. In the summer of 2019, a team of speleologists led a mapping expedition to caves located 2,000 meters above sea level, near the Col des Deux Soeurs, in the Vercors massif. As they were walking, they were surprised to fall on human bones. One of the team members explained to our colleagues France 3 Auvergne Rhône-Alpes that it is by finding “a door” and crossing it, that they discovered these bones.
Surveys and a study of these were then carried out to know the little story of this skeleton. Régis Picavet, who conducted these studies, explained that “people have moved some of the bones, perhaps to give them a proper burial.” The individual would indeed have died a few meters from where his bones were found. “In total, 95% of the skeleton was recovered”, added the archaeologist
What was this skeleton doing at this altitude?
A survey was also conducted a year after the discovery to try to date the bones. The two carbon datings made it possible to establish “the existence of a man of about forty, measuring approximately 1.70 m, having lived in the Middle Ages, between 1000 and 1100 years after our era”explained Régis Picavet.
Two years after the discovery, the latter still wonders what the body was doing at this altitude. “I think it was someone who had to hunt. Wear on certain bones shows significant and recurrent physical activity such as chopping wood for example”analyzes Régis Picavet to France 3. But not sure that it will one day be possible to find an answer to this question.
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Speleologist
While walking in caves, speleologists were surprised to come across human bones.
© Pexels
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Speleologist
One of the team members explained to our colleagues from France 3 Auvergne Rhône-Alpes that it was by finding “a door” and crossing it that they discovered these bones.
© Pexels
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Skeleton
Surveys and a study of these were then carried out to know the little story of this skeleton.
© Pexels
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Skeleton
Two carbon datings have established “the existence of a man in his forties, measuring approximately 1.70 m, who lived in the Middle Ages, between 1000 and 1100 years after our era”