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Vladimir Putin visits remains of medieval Russian warrior prince uncovered in Kremlin cathedral

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Archangel Cathedral in Moscow to inspect the recently discovered remains of medieval Prince Dmitry Donskoy.
  • Archaeologists found Donskoy's remains in a crypt, split sarcophagus lid, and ornate burial attire, with some fragments collected for analysis.
  • The discovery surprised historians, and Putin lit a candle at the site while experts explained the identification process.

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently inspected the open sarcophagus of Prince Dmitry Donskoy, a medieval warrior prince whose remains were uncovered during restoration work at Moscow's Archangel Cathedral. The cathedral, located within the Kremlin, has historically served as a burial site for Russian royalty.

We conducted the research using a specialized method, without a full archaeological protocol. Nothing was removed.

— Nikolai MakarovRussian Academy of Sciences vice president and Institute of Archaeology director, explaining the research method.

Historians were surprised by the discovery of Donskoy's remains in a crypt near the southern wall, as they had believed the burial site was elsewhere in the building. The sarcophagus lid was found split, and archaeologists discovered the prince's remains within, covered in stone chips and mortar. The remains were clothed in well-preserved ornate burial attire, including a dense fabric with a geometric pattern and an inner layer with fragments of a braided cord, collar, and shoe.

Nikolai Makarov, vice president of the Russian Academy of Sciences, stated that the research was conducted using a specialized method without a full archaeological protocol, ensuring nothing was removed and the remains were preserved. "Textile remains and several fragments of remains were collected for subsequent laboratory analysis, but the objective was to avoid damaging anything and preserve the prince's remains as they were found," he said.

Textile remains and several fragments of remains were collected for subsequent laboratory analysis, but the objective was to avoid damaging anything and preserve the prince's remains as they were found.

— Nikolai MakarovRussian Academy of Sciences vice president and Institute of Archaeology director, detailing the preservation efforts.

Putin lit a candle in the cathedral and stood by the sarcophagus as experts explained how they identified the 14th-century prince's remains. The Russian Orthodox Church announced the discovery, noting the remains were nearly complete and belonged to a man who died of natural causes between the ages of 35 and 45, consistent with historical records.

All these characteristics correspond with written sources and historic

— Russian Orthodox ChurchDescribing the remains and their consistency with historical records.
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Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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