Archeologists Discover a Sarcophagus Buried Under a Church, Believe it Could Belong to Saint Nicholas Who Inspired Santa Claus

Santa Claus could be right around the corner, but a sarcophagus has already made an appearance connecting it to him. Archeologists have uncovered a coffin in Turkey that they believe belonged to Saint Nicholas, the New York Post reported. Saint Nicholas is widely considered to be the person who inspired the concept of Santa Claus. Nicholas as a holy man was a patron of children, merchants, and regretful thieves, and also had quite a reputation as a gift-giver in his community. All these qualities were put into the figure of Santa Claus, who later became a primary icon of Christmas.

Saint Nicholas was a Bishop who lived in the maritime city of Myra in Asia Minor during the fourth century. Multiple miracles associated with his life led him to be declared a Saint. His reputation as a gift-giver steadily boomed and gave rise to the icon of Santa Claus. Centuries later, Roman emperor Theodosius II ordered the creation of the Church of St. Nicholas at the place where the saint once served as a bishop. After the construction was completed, Saint Nicholas' body was reinterred in the church.

In the 11th Century, the remains were transferred to the Basilica di San Nicola in Bari, Southern Italy. During the First Crusade, the remains were taken away by Venetian sailors and later enshrined at the monastery of San Nicolò al Lido in Venice. In 1953, archeologists found bone remains from both Bari and Venice. The bones were determined to be of the same individual, but it is still unclear whether they were of Saint Nicholas.

The coffin was located by experts in a 7th-century church built in honor of Saint Nicholas. The sarcophagus is primarily made from limestone and has been adjudged to be six feet in length and five feet in depth. The artifact appears to have a pitched lid and at the time of discovery was buried six feet underground. The origin of the coffin is yet to be determined. "Our biggest hope is to find an inscription on the sarcophagus. This would help clarify the burial contents and allow us to determine the exact period it dates from," Ebru Fatma Findik of Hatay Mustafa Kemal University explained.

Experts have found only a small portion of the artifact and would need to conduct further excavations to get more details, according to Heritage Daily. "While the lid of the sarcophagus has been uncovered, only a small section of the burial chamber has been exposed, and further excavation is expected to reveal more details in the coming months," added Findik.

Researchers have been studying the Church of St. Nicholas for two years as part of the "Legacy for the Future Project." It was during excavations associated with this project that the sarcophagus was unveiled. 

Archeologists believe that the sarcophagus is connected to Saint Nicholas because of its spotting in the church dedicated to the bishop and several other historical evidence. "This could be a significant archaeological confirmation of historical sources regarding the burial place of St. Nicholas," Findik claimed.