A recent archaeological discovery in Turkey has led to the belief that the tomb of ‘Santa Claus’ has been found.
Of course, this isn’t the actual Santa Claus, as he’s busy at the North Pole preparing for his annual gift deliveries on December 25.
The tomb is thought to belong to Saint Nicholas, a historical bishop whose life inspired the modern-day Santa Claus.
For two years, archaeologists have studied the Church of Saint Nicholas in the ancient city of Myra, now Demre in Antalya, Turkey.
According to Heritage Daily, recent digs in the church’s two-storey annex revealed a limestone sarcophagus.
This sarcophagus measures two meters in length and was found buried at a depth of 1.5 to 2 meters.
Associate Professor Ebru Fatma Findik from Hatay Mustafa Kemal University commented on the discovery: “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.”
Findik also noted that ‘further excavation is expected to reveal more details in the coming months’.
He emphasized the importance of the find, stating: “This could be a significant archaeological confirmation of historical sources regarding the burial place of Saint Nicholas.”
A video showing archaeologists measuring the tomb has been circulating online, sparking a humorous response.
Observing the red and white striped tool used for measuring, one Twitter user joked: “Did they identify it by the giant candy cane that woman has?”
Another commented: “(Measuring the tomb with a candy cane yard stick) Yep this is santa alright.”
A third echoed: “They measured it with a candy cane lmao.”
The candy cane-like tool was seen as ‘hilarious’ by some.
Another person humorously remarked: “Lol she digging him up with a candy cane? On brand.”
Someone else thought ‘using a candy cane for measurements’ was fitting given the situation.
One person even speculated if there’s only milk and cookies inside the tomb, noting that there wouldn’t be any bones since Saint Nicholas’ remains are actually in the crypt of the Basilica di San Nicola in Bari, Italy.
It is believed that Italian merchants took the remains from Myra to Bari in 1087.