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Possible Remains of d’Artagnan Found Beneath Maastricht Church Altar

Upcoming lab tests in Munich will decide if the remains are d’Artagnan’s.

Overview

  • The skeleton, uncovered after February’s partial floor collapse at St. Peter and St. Paul in Maastricht, was found in a tomb in front of the old altar.
  • Archaeologists reported a lead projectile fragment near the chest and a small French coin from around 1660 beside the burial.
  • Lead investigator Wim Dijkman said he is very sure about the identification but is waiting for DNA comparisons in Munich with De Batz descendants and for strontium isotope tests.
  • The placement under an altar points to a high‑status burial and fits accounts that d’Artagnan, killed by a musket shot during the 1673 siege, was buried in consecrated ground near the battlefield.
  • Results are expected in the coming weeks, which could settle a long‑running question for historians and the public, though officials stress the find is not confirmed.