When a tomb sealed for more than thirteen centuries resurfaces, it shakes up our understanding of the social and funeral practices of the High Middle Ages. This is precisely what the discovery made in 2021 allowed by the Bayerisches Landesamt für denkmalpflege (BLFD), in Bavaria, during preventive excavations in Mattsies. Thanks to an unprecedented cryitage technique, archaeologists were able to extract in its entirety the burial of an 18 -month -old child, dated between 670 and 680 of our era.
A child, a grave, a technical feat
The discovery of the grave of a child in Mattsies, in Bavarian Souhabe, confronted archaeologists with a conservation challenge rarely encountered. The funeral chamber was buried under the remains of an abandoned Roman villa. She was sealed in hermetic way by stone walls and a lime mortar. This exceptional sealing had made it possible to preserve an almost waterproof environment. But he also made any attempt at classical excavation risky for organic, textile and even bone elements. In order to preserve the entire archaeological context, the teams of the Bayerische Landesamt für denkmalpflege have opted for a radical method: cryitagement in situ.
By application of liquid nitrogen at -196 ° C, the content of the tomb was completely frozen, making the materials solid enough to be extracted in a single block without loss or deformation. The operation lasted 14 hours. This period of time made it possible to avoid the formation of destructive ice crystals inside the tissues and fragile objects. Transported to a specialized laboratory in Bamberg, this block has undergone the process of controlled defrosting and analysis.
This method, still rarely used on this scale in archeology, has made it possible to maintain intact the spatial arrangement of objects, perishable materials and microtracles. According to Mathias Pfeil, director of BLFD, it constitutes a decisive advance for the study of complex burials. Without this technique, the details of the funeral ritual and the symbolic richness of the furniture would have been irreparably lost.
High social status in a transition era
Between 670 and 680 AD. AD, Bavaria is at a historic crossroads. The Roman Empire of the West has disappeared for more than two centuries, but Roman social structures continue to influence the Germanic elites. The region therefore experiences a phase of deep transition between Roman inheritances, emerging Germanic structures and increasing influence of Christianity. In this context, prestigious markers are changing but remain central to assert a social status. The burial of the young boy of Mattsies is part of this dynamic. It appears as the descendant of a locally rooted dominant group. Undoubtedly linked to the ancient Romanized aristocracies or to the emerging Merovingian nobility.
The child, although very young, already brought the attributes of a symbolic transmission of power and social identity. The fact that such energy was mobilized for its burial – construction of a masonry funeral chamber, architectural isolation within an old villa, efforts to preserve memory – indicates that its death represented a major loss for its family group. This treatment testifies to a desire to maintain a dynastic transmission, even interrupted early.
Paleopathological analyzes reveal that the child was breastfed until his death, proof of careful care practices. However, a simple otitis evolves in chronic infection, leading to death. This illustrates the health fragility, even for high -ranking children. Social and material resources are not enough to compensate for the absence of effective curative medicine. Finally, the examination of his DNA made it possible to identify precise phenotypic traits: he had blue eyes and clear hair.
A funeral adornment of remarkable wealth for a child
The young boy's funerary adornment is one of the most revealing elements of his status. Each textile or metallic piece found in the tomb expresses a precise social and symbolic intention. The body was placed on animal skin, a gesture reserved for the wealthiest classes. He wore finely worked leather shoes, pants and a long sleeve tunic made of linen. Admittedly, this is a common material but here transformed by precious applications: silk bands sewn with wrists and on the front.
Silk, resulting from long -distance trade via the Byzantine world, was extremely rare in Merovingian Europe. Its presence in a child's clothing confirms direct or indirect access to international exchange networks. The quality of the weaving and the rarity of the material suggest that the garment was not designed for daily use, but to mark a status during a ritual event.
On the boy's wrists were silver bracelets, a precious and unusual metal for such a young child. At his feet, spurs also in money complete the equipment, strengthening the idea of a projected social role. Probably that of a future rider, a member of a warrior elite. Finally, the deceased belt wore a short sword in a leather sheath decorated with gold inlays – an object of more than use.
© © BLFD
The X -rays reveal the decorations of the sword. © BLFD
In addition, the linen was leaving a cross of gold leaves. This attests to the early integration of Christian symbols in aristocratic funeral practices. And well before the complete Christianization of the region.
Funeral rites and lasting traces of an aristocratic memory for a child
Around the feet of the deceased, archaeologists discovered a set of objects deposited with a precise organization on a woven carpet. There is a bronze basin, a comb, a wooden cut adorned with silver trim, dried fruits – hazelnuts, apples, a pear – as well as the remains of a cut -off porcelet, initially confused with a dog. This arrangement is not a simple funeral deposit. It stages a structured ritual that combines purification, self -presentation and meals. The comb evokes the toilet, the ritual ablution basin, while precious dishes and food suggest a farewell or accompaniment banquet in the beyond.
© © BLFD
Gold plated scabbard. © BLFD
These gestures recall the aristocratic practices of commensality. The meal is not only subsistence but an affirmation of the rank. The presence of a porcelet, a sacrificed prestige animal, reinforces this interpretation. The deceased, although in fact, is integrated into adult social representation codes. These objects are not only used to honor the dead.
Architectural data confirm this desire to perpetuate memory. The building housing the tomb was refurbished twice after burial. A conscious reuse of the place as a memory space. The burial of the “Ice Prince” thus illustrates a close link between funeral rite, social status and collective memory. It sheds light on an era when individual identity was expressed through codified community practices, anchored in space and over time.
With an unwavering passion for local news, Christopher leads our editorial team with integrity and dedication. With over 20 years’ experience, he is the backbone of Wouldsayso, ensuring that we stay true to our mission to inform.
