NICOLAUS COPERNICUS
IIn spring 2004, at the meeting of the Scientific Council of the Frombork-based Baltic Research Centre operating within the Aleksander Gieysztor Pultusk School of Humanities, bishop Doctor Jacek Jezierski, provost of the Frombork metropolitan church, asked me (i.e. J. Gassowski) whether I would be interested in carrying out archaeological research aimed at locating the grave of Nichoalus Copernicus. At first I refused saying that the task resembled that of looking for a needle in a haystack. What is known is that the famous astronomer, a canon of the local church, was buried in the church when he died at the age of 70. Records from chapter meetings do not contain the exact date of his death or the place of his burial. No durable epitaph was placed on his grave, either. On the day of Copernicus’ death his work was being printed, so it did not bring him international renown at the time, and the astronomer himself did not give any instructions concerning the possible tombstone nor did he leave any means to finance the funeral.
Moreover, it should be remembered that numerous clerics had been buried under the floor of the cathedral throughout several centuries until 1720 which was when a burial crypt for canons was constructed under the chancel to avoid the dismantling and laying of the marble floor anew during each subsequent funeral.
Moreover, it should be remembered that numerous clerics had been buried under the floor of the cathedral throughout several centuries until 1720 which was when a burial crypt for canons was constructed under the chancel to avoid the dismantling and laying of the marble floor anew during each subsequent funeral.
Bishop Jezierski, on the other hand, was of the opinion that the undertaking would not be looking for a needle in a haystack, as there emerged a new theory according to which the astronomer’s grave could be located with greater detail. The theory was formulated by Doctor Jerzy Sikorski, an Olsztyn-based historian and eminent researcher on the life and work of Nichoalus Copernicus. According to Doctor Sikorski, canons of the Frombork cathedral were buried close to that altar which they took care of during their lifetime. The altar was the one which used to be dedicated to Saint Andrew, currently dedicated to the Holy Cross, the fourth altar on the right-hand side.
We resolved to verify the theory by means of archaeological research. The Institute of Anthropology and Archaeology of the Aleksander Gieysztor Pultusk School of Humanities decided to carry out this task. In the first season of research we worked in co-operation with the National Centre for Historical Monument Studies and Documentation. In 2004, research works were carried out in the period from 16 August till 31 August on the area of 10 square meters.
We resolved to verify the theory by means of archaeological research. The Institute of Anthropology and Archaeology of the Aleksander Gieysztor Pultusk School of Humanities decided to carry out this task. In the first season of research we worked in co-operation with the National Centre for Historical Monument Studies and Documentation. In 2004, research works were carried out in the period from 16 August till 31 August on the area of 10 square meters.
In our research activities we used the latest prospection and documentation methods. The entire cathedral floor area was “screened” using the georadar profiling technique by a team of specialists from the Geophysical Research Company in Warsaw, composed of Tadeusz Stępniak, M.Sc, Eng., and Grzegorz Pacanowski, M.Sc., Eng., and led by Mirosław Musiatewicz, M.Sc., Eng. This showed the outlines of all the excavations ever made under the cathedral floor. Further to that, three-dimensional scanning of the cathedral interior using a laser scanner was performed within an accuracy of 2 mm. The same scanner, operated by Karol Czajkowski, M.A., from the National Centre for Historical Monument Studies and Documentation, was later used in making three-dimensional documentation of the archaeological excavation site during works carried out in 2004. Anthropological studies were performed by Professor Karol Piasecki representing the University of Szczecin and Warsaw University.
The assumption of our research was to analyse the grave which – in the course of archaeological research – was found to be the one of a 70-year-old man (the approximate age of the deceased may be assessed by an anthropologist) in such a way as to reconstruct the face of the deceased in a specialized laboratory using the preserved skull bones. The reconstructed image would then be compared with realistic portraits of Nichoalus Copernicus painted by his contemporaries. The conformity of the image to the old portraits could serve as a confirmation of the fact that the grave of the great astronomer would have been located.
The assumption of our research was to analyse the grave which – in the course of archaeological research – was found to be the one of a 70-year-old man (the approximate age of the deceased may be assessed by an anthropologist) in such a way as to reconstruct the face of the deceased in a specialized laboratory using the preserved skull bones. The reconstructed image would then be compared with realistic portraits of Nichoalus Copernicus painted by his contemporaries. The conformity of the image to the old portraits could serve as a confirmation of the fact that the grave of the great astronomer would have been located.
In the times of Copernicus, few people lived to be that old, although old age was more frequent among clergymen who usually came from a wealthier background and lived a stable life. Further complications were connected with the fact that all the preserved portraits of Nichoalus Copernicus were painted when he was 30-40 years old and the skull used in the reconstruction would date from his old age.
The primary aim of the research was to identify the possibilities of conducting research activities inside the cathedral, to locate the graves using a georadar and to see what was under the floor in order to make preliminary archaeological discoveries. The first findings provoked certain anxiety. A skull and fragments of the skeleton of an approximately 10-year old child was discovered on the southern side of the pillar foundation. The skeleton appeared to be damaged by the grave of canon Andrzej Gąsiorowski, who died in 1767, and another grave of a tall man who was 40-50 years old at the time of his deat.To identify the grave of canon Gąsiorowski turned out to be an easy task, as a baroque, lead and silver-plated plate with an informative inscription, was well preserved. The plate was probably placed on the coffin which did not survive till our times. As far as the third grave is concerned, Jerzy Sikorski has formulated the following theory: the deceased is probably canon Michał Kołacki who died on 28 August 1608 at the age of 48 (Sikorski, J – Kanonikat – ołtarz – grób. Obsada kanonikatów oraz kwestia pochówków w katedrze fromborskiej w XV – XVIII w [Canonry – altar – grave. The staffing of canonries and the issue of burial places in the Frombork cathedral in 15th-18th centuries] – in printing).
The grave of canon Kołacki seemed to be the only one in its right place: it dated from times when canons were buried under the cathedral floor and it was yet another grave which was expected to be placed in the vicinity of the altar which the canon took care of during his lifetime. The grave of canon Gąsiorowski, on the other hand, appears to contradict all the rules – the canon did not recite the liturgy at the altar dedicated to the Holy Cross but at Saint Anne’s altar (which until 1639 was known as Saint Paul’s altar), moreover, he was expected to be buried in the crypt under the chancel. Had the previously mentioned plate not been found at his body, his skull would have been subjected to specialist analyses as it is known that he died at the age of 70. The child’s grave, however, was found to be the most mysterious of all. It could date from the times when a smaller wooden church stood in the area of today’s gothic cathedral and it is possible that originally it was located outside of the temple. In the following season, the research was conducted by Beata Jurkiewicz, M.A. assisted by Błażej Muzolf, M.A., surveyed by Prof. Jerzy Gąssowski, Ph.D., and it revealed further intriguing exceptions to the rule. A total of thirteen graves were discovered, of which three were not examined for reasons discussed below. On a relatively small area a big number of graves was discovered, some of which damaged the earlier graves. One of these later graves, dating probably from the 18th century (similarly to the grave of canon Gąsiorowski), was grave no. 1/05, revealed at the depth of only 32 centimetres under the floor and fully preserved. The wide and relatively well preserved coffin, lined with a fabric, was equipped with iron fitting. Inside the coffin lay a skeleton of a young woman aged approximately 18-20. The head of the deceased lay on the remains of a silk pillow filled with shredded straw. On her light short hair there were remains of a bonnet fitted (or pinned) with small pins. Fragments of garment fabric, difficult to identify, were found at the skeleton. At the deceased we also found a small scapular and a medallion which will be documented following the necessary conservation procedures.
Grave no. 2/05 belonged to a man aged around 40-50. A closer estimation of the age of the deceased was not possible, as the skull (the facial bones in particular) was partly damaged.
Grave no. 3/05 was severely damaged during the digging of the grave no. 1/05. Only the left-hand side of the grave was partly preserved.
Grave no. 4/05 was revealed only partly in the corner of the excavation site. Only the upper part of the skeleton (the skull and upper part of the chest) was revealed. The deceased man was aged around 40.
Grave no. 5/05 was placed partly under the grave no. 1/05, but luckily it was not damaged. The skeleton was that of a man who died at the age of 45-55.
Only the lower parts of graves 6/05, 7/05 and 8/05, located in the northern part of the archaeological excavation site, were revealed (from the waist down). Grave no. 7/05, located at the most shallow depth, was the only one in which long bones were preserved well enough to be examined. The results showed that the skeleton was that of an approximately 10-year old child. The local situation made it impossible to reveal the upper parts of these three graves, nor were we able to deepen the excavation. Therefore, the examination of these graves was postponed until the next season. Grave no. 7/05 (similarly to grave no. 1/05) probably dates from the 17th or 18th century. In both grave pits fragments of lime mortar from the foundation of the cathedral’s marble floor were found.
Similarly, in graves no. 9/05 and 11/05 only lower parts of the skeletons were revealed. Further exploration was not possible. In the latter grave well-preserved leather shoes were discovered and forwarded for conservation.Grave no. 10/05 was placed partly under the grave no. 1/05. It contained a skeleton of a man aged around 60.
Grave no. 12/05 was located under the graves no. 1/05 and 3/05. Inside it, the left part of the torso and both thighbones were discovered. In the place of the head two damaged skulls were found. One of them could belong to the grave no. 12/05, the other – to the grave no. 3/05.
Grave no. 13 was the most damaged of all – the research allowed for identifying its position in the excavation and the outline of the coffin only. The skull was preserved, however, the mandible was missing, it was searched for in the vicinity to no avail. What remained of the skeleton were loosely scattered bones which had been found earlier in different grave excavations. However, it was this damaged grave that attracted the attention of the researchers. The skull was estimated to be that of a 60-70 year old man, which means that it was the oldest skull of all found in the second season of research. It was forwarded for further detailed examinations aimed at reconstructing the head and face of the deceased.
The archaeological research carried out inside the Frombork cathedral met with severe difficulties. In order to reach the graves it was necessary to dismantle the antique 17th century floor based on a layer of sand and fixed with lime mortar. The task was difficult as at the end of each research season the floor had to be laid anew in order to restore the normal functioning of the church. In today’s natural environment, the type of sand used in constructing the floor is not available. The sand currently available across Poland contains salt. Therefore, it was absolutely necessary to protect the ancient sand and make sure that it returns to its original place after the excavations.
Similarly, the earth excavated during research from under the floor should have the same humidity factor after the excavations as it had before the floor was dismantled. Therefore, it could not be stored outside of the cathedral, as it had to be protected against getting wet in the rain or getting sun-dried. All these issues caused significant logistical difficulties during the research activities. Furthermore, the soil in which the coffins with the dead were laid was characterised by different consistency, depending on the particular grave: in some of the graves it was more compact, in others – more loose. This caused the falling of profiles, also during particularly profound and powerful tones of organ music. Towards the end of the second research season, mysterious empty spaces in the soil were located, which could cause a collapse of the floor in the still unexplored parts. This forced us to leave some of the graves (6/05, 7/05, 8/05, 9/05 and 11/05) unearthed and left for examination in later seasons of our research.
Grave no. 2/05 belonged to a man aged around 40-50. A closer estimation of the age of the deceased was not possible, as the skull (the facial bones in particular) was partly damaged.
Grave no. 3/05 was severely damaged during the digging of the grave no. 1/05. Only the left-hand side of the grave was partly preserved.
Grave no. 4/05 was revealed only partly in the corner of the excavation site. Only the upper part of the skeleton (the skull and upper part of the chest) was revealed. The deceased man was aged around 40.
Grave no. 5/05 was placed partly under the grave no. 1/05, but luckily it was not damaged. The skeleton was that of a man who died at the age of 45-55.
Only the lower parts of graves 6/05, 7/05 and 8/05, located in the northern part of the archaeological excavation site, were revealed (from the waist down). Grave no. 7/05, located at the most shallow depth, was the only one in which long bones were preserved well enough to be examined. The results showed that the skeleton was that of an approximately 10-year old child. The local situation made it impossible to reveal the upper parts of these three graves, nor were we able to deepen the excavation. Therefore, the examination of these graves was postponed until the next season. Grave no. 7/05 (similarly to grave no. 1/05) probably dates from the 17th or 18th century. In both grave pits fragments of lime mortar from the foundation of the cathedral’s marble floor were found.
Similarly, in graves no. 9/05 and 11/05 only lower parts of the skeletons were revealed. Further exploration was not possible. In the latter grave well-preserved leather shoes were discovered and forwarded for conservation.Grave no. 10/05 was placed partly under the grave no. 1/05. It contained a skeleton of a man aged around 60.
Grave no. 12/05 was located under the graves no. 1/05 and 3/05. Inside it, the left part of the torso and both thighbones were discovered. In the place of the head two damaged skulls were found. One of them could belong to the grave no. 12/05, the other – to the grave no. 3/05.
Grave no. 13 was the most damaged of all – the research allowed for identifying its position in the excavation and the outline of the coffin only. The skull was preserved, however, the mandible was missing, it was searched for in the vicinity to no avail. What remained of the skeleton were loosely scattered bones which had been found earlier in different grave excavations. However, it was this damaged grave that attracted the attention of the researchers. The skull was estimated to be that of a 60-70 year old man, which means that it was the oldest skull of all found in the second season of research. It was forwarded for further detailed examinations aimed at reconstructing the head and face of the deceased.
The archaeological research carried out inside the Frombork cathedral met with severe difficulties. In order to reach the graves it was necessary to dismantle the antique 17th century floor based on a layer of sand and fixed with lime mortar. The task was difficult as at the end of each research season the floor had to be laid anew in order to restore the normal functioning of the church. In today’s natural environment, the type of sand used in constructing the floor is not available. The sand currently available across Poland contains salt. Therefore, it was absolutely necessary to protect the ancient sand and make sure that it returns to its original place after the excavations.
Similarly, the earth excavated during research from under the floor should have the same humidity factor after the excavations as it had before the floor was dismantled. Therefore, it could not be stored outside of the cathedral, as it had to be protected against getting wet in the rain or getting sun-dried. All these issues caused significant logistical difficulties during the research activities. Furthermore, the soil in which the coffins with the dead were laid was characterised by different consistency, depending on the particular grave: in some of the graves it was more compact, in others – more loose. This caused the falling of profiles, also during particularly profound and powerful tones of organ music. Towards the end of the second research season, mysterious empty spaces in the soil were located, which could cause a collapse of the floor in the still unexplored parts. This forced us to leave some of the graves (6/05, 7/05, 8/05, 9/05 and 11/05) unearthed and left for examination in later seasons of our research.
The archaeological research was focused on a well-defined aim – to locate and identify the grave of Nichoalus Copernicus. The researchers did not intend to analyse each grave in terms of anthropology, but to determine the age and sex of the deceased, whenever possible. In doing so, they made every effort to respect the right of the dead to remain in their place of burial for centuries. Sadly, as it appeared, the eternal peace of the dead had been disturbed for several times before, mostly during the construction of later graves - such as the grave of a young woman and the grave of canon Gąsiorowski – which came as a surprise to the researchers.
Skull no.13/05, meeting the initial criteria concerning the age of Copernicus’ place of burial, having been preliminary examined and described by Professor Karol Piasecki, was transferred to the Central Forensic Laboratory in Warsaw for a reconstruction of the face of the deceased. Chief inspector Dariusz Zajdel, M. Sc., an officer with extensive experience in this type of complex anthropological studies, agreed to carry out this task.
The task was exceptionally difficult and responsible. Luckily, some realistic portraits of the great astronomer which could serve as comparative material, survived till our time. The point was that all the portraits, in particular the one – probably a self-portrait - which was considered the most valuable in scientific terms, were painted when Nichoalus Copernicus was 30-40 years old. The skull used for reconstruction belonged to an elderly man, which implied a number of changes in the physical appearance.
What is important is a double vertical scar discovered on the skull, above the right eye socket – probably a trace of a cut wound. The self-portrait depicts a similar defect near the left eye brow which seems to be partially absent.
Having consulted Professor Karol Piasecki and considered all the relevant circumstances, we believe that it is highly probable that the examined skull is the head of Nichoalus Copernicus.
http://archeologia.ah.edu.pl/Frombork_eng.html
The task was exceptionally difficult and responsible. Luckily, some realistic portraits of the great astronomer which could serve as comparative material, survived till our time. The point was that all the portraits, in particular the one – probably a self-portrait - which was considered the most valuable in scientific terms, were painted when Nichoalus Copernicus was 30-40 years old. The skull used for reconstruction belonged to an elderly man, which implied a number of changes in the physical appearance.
What is important is a double vertical scar discovered on the skull, above the right eye socket – probably a trace of a cut wound. The self-portrait depicts a similar defect near the left eye brow which seems to be partially absent.
Having consulted Professor Karol Piasecki and considered all the relevant circumstances, we believe that it is highly probable that the examined skull is the head of Nichoalus Copernicus.
http://archeologia.ah.edu.pl/Frombork_eng.html
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