20 Jul 2012 Soldiers' bodies in perfectly preserved trenches
Categories: First World War , Calendar , Nálezy nejenom s detektorem v západní Evropě
The remains of 21 German soldiers were discovered by archaeologists in perfectly preserved trenches from the First World War. Located in eastern France near the town of Carspach. They died after an explosion.
The archaeologists were called to the site by engineers overseeing the construction of a new road. It was clear to them that the workers had come across something unusual while digging. Researchers later said they saw a scene that could be compared to Pompeii. In the trenches were the bodies of men in the same positions as when they died. They were hunched over because they were under fire or suspected some other danger.
The bodies of the soldiers were found by archaeologists 94 years after their deaths. The men were part of a larger group that numbered 34 men. They were literally buried alive when an Allied bomb exploded through a local tunnel.
Thirteen bodies were recovered from the trench. But archaeologists had to leave the rest behind because they were under a large pile of mud. It was the fact that many of the skeletal remains were found in the same positions the men were in at the time of their deaths that led experts to compare the scene to Pompeii.
Several soldiers were discovered sitting upright on a bench, one was lying in his bed and another was in a fetal position, having been thrown down the stairs. That is, he was lying on his side with his knees bent and drawn up to his body.
In addition to the bodies, personal items such as shoes, helmets, guns, wine bottles, glasses, wallets, pipes, cigarette cases and pocket books were also found. The skeleton of a goat, which was a source of fresh milk for the soldiers, was also found. Archaeologists believe the objects were so well preserved because almost no air, water or light penetrated the trench.
"It's a bit like Pompeii. Everything collapsed in seconds and almost everything was left in place. Just like in Pompeii, we found the bodies as they were at the moment of death. Some of the men were found sitting on a bench, others were lying down," said archaeologist Michael Landolt.
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
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