The church site was said to have been constructed on or near St. Nicholas' burial site, but details are flimsy.
A group of archaeologists recently uncovered a sarcophagus under St. Nicholas Church in Demre, Turkey that they now hope to tie to Saint Nicholas himself -- the inspiration behind the legendary figure of Santa Claus.
The church site, originally constructed in 520 A.D., was said to have been built on or near the burial site of St. Nicholas, who once served as the Bishop of Myra and died in 343 A.D. in Myra (now Demre), Turkey. Excavations at the church have been ongoing since 1989, and continue to yield new artifacts. But none have been more exciting than finding a sarcophagus in the church's two-story annex that experts believe could be that of good ol' St. Nick.
The new find -- part of the Legacy for the Future Project from Turkey's Ministry of Culture and Tourism -- located a 6.5-foot-long sarcophagus crafted out of local limestone. Fatma Findik of Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, who led the excavation, said that the design features a raised lid and pitched roof, consistent with others from the region, according to Turkey Today. The partially buried coffin was in an area where excavations previously unearthed animal bones and fragments of clay lamps, which are often signs of a burial site.
"Our biggest hope is to find an inscription on the sarcophagus," Findik said. "This would help clarify the burial contents and allow us to determine the exact period it dates to."
Crews aren't far enough into the excavation at the church -- a site that has been listed on UNESCO's Tentative Heritage List since 2000 -- to know for sure if they will find any inscription at all. So far, only the lid and a small section of the burial chamber has been revealed.
During St. Nicholas' life he was said to have helped the needy out of an inheritance he received after the passing of his parents. After his death, according to Biography.com, the legend of his gift-giving grew. Eventually, the story St. Nicholas gave rise to the legendary character of Santa Claus, who brings Christmas presents to children around the globe.
St. Nicholas' popularity grew during the Reformation of the 1500s, and the Dutch celebrated the feast day of St. Nicholas on December 6, the anniversary of his 343 A.D. death. It became common practice for children to put their shoes out the night before the holiday, and by morning, gifts -- left by St. Nicholas, of course -- were waiting for them. Dutch immigrants brought the St. Nicholas legend to the United States in the 1700s, where his 'Sinterklaas' nickname eventually transformed into 'Santa Claus' and the December 6 date merged with Christmas.
St. Nicholas scholars eagerly await news about the sarcophagus, as questions about the historical figure's burial and tomb have long remained unanswered. Scholars hope to find the actual sacred area of Myra associated with the bishop, and if this sarcophagus is in fact that of St. Nicholas, it not only confirms the final resting place of the saint but provides new information about Myra.
"Some sources suggest that St. Nicholas was buried near the sacred area of the city of Myra," Findik said. "The fact that we have found a sarcophagus near the church, which is thought to house his tomb, may indicate that this is indeed the sacred area we have been searching for. This is a significant archaeological confirmation of historical sources regarding the burial place of St. Nicholas."