Archaeologists have potentially made a significant discovery as they claim to have found the original burial site of Saint Nicholas, the figure who inspired the legend of Santa Claus.
While this discovery is exciting for the field of archaeology, it does suggest that if Santa Claus was indeed based on a real person, he is, as noted in A Christmas Carol, “dead as a doornail.” Apologies to the children.
It’s important to clarify that this isn’t the Santa we picture today with his red and white suit. If he were, he’d resemble Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas by now. Instead, this is Saint Nicholas, the Christian bishop who eventually became associated with the myth of Santa Claus.
Saint Nicholas lived during the third and fourth centuries AD in the region that was then part of the Roman Empire.
Archaeologists now believe they’ve identified the site of Saint Nicholas’ first burial place, which is reportedly located in Turkey.
Associate Professor Ebru Fatma Findik of Hatay Mustafa Kemal University is spearheading the project that located a sarcophagus in the two-storey annex of the St Nicholas Church, thought to be the saint’s original resting place.
Dr. Findik told Turkiye Today, “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.”
This finding is significant, but further investigation of the sarcophagus is needed to uncover more information about its intended occupant.
Dr. Findik noted, “The fact that we have found a sarcophagus near the church, thought to house his tomb, may indicate that this is indeed the sacred area we have been searching for.”
Currently, only the lid of the sarcophagus is visible, but the sides may provide additional insights.
Several centuries after his death, the Church of Saint Nicholas was erected over the site where he had served as a bishop, and his remains were relocated to a different sarcophagus in that church, which remains visible today.
About 700 years posthumously, his remains were transported to the Basilica di San Nicola in Bari, Southern Italy, and it’s believed that some of these remains were later taken to Venice during the First Crusade.
Saint Nicholas is not only linked with Christmas; he is also recognized as the patron saint of brewers, single individuals, sailors, merchants, repentant thieves, archers, and notably, toymakers.
In truth, these associations sound like the elements of a typical office Christmas party—archers included.