Skeletons unearthed in Old Montreal will allow archeologists to travel back in time to learn more about the common-man residents of Montreal in the 1700s. The skeletons of two adults and one teenager unearthed at the steps of the Notre Dame Basilica this month are shedding light on the lives of Montrealers who walked these city streets centuries ago.
"From their bones and teeth we can determine their sex, age and size," said Gérard Gagné, a bio-archeologist with Arkéos Inc. who takes an obvious delight in deciphering the tales the dead can tell. "We can also find out what their dietary habits were like, if they smoked a pipe or not, what ailments they might have had, like fractures or tumours."
"From their bones and teeth we can determine their sex, age and size," said Gérard Gagné, a bio-archeologist with Arkéos Inc. who takes an obvious delight in deciphering the tales the dead can tell. "We can also find out what their dietary habits were like, if they smoked a pipe or not, what ailments they might have had, like fractures or tumours."
The discoveries come thanks to excavation work carried out by Bell to lay new lines on Notre Dame St. in front of the basilica. Contractors knew they would encounter the ancient foundations of the Notre Dame Church, which was built in 1672 and sat in front of where the basilica is now.
You can read more at the Montreal Gazette web site at http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Tales+from+beyond+grave/2243711/story.html.
