Skeletal remains of 32 people found during church excavation in Amsterdam

Archeologists have dug up 32 skeletons in a week in the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam. The excavations are being done in connection with foundation work that is necessary for the church. City archeologist Thijs Terhorst expects around 200 graves to be found.

The team is surveying the construction site before the contractor begins reinforcing the eight columns of the nave with steel beams and concrete. The archaeologists work from pits one and a half meters deep, where they secure the graves. "We don't go deeper than that even though, as archeologists, we would like to," Terhorst added. The remains are reburied after the research.

It is not surprising that human remains have been found: the church originates from 1408, and it is estimated that tens of thousands of people were buried there up to 1866. Most of the graves had already been cleared during an earlier restoration in the previous century. The graves that are still there date from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Physical anthropologist Constance van der Linde of the University of Amsterdam said around 50 skeletons were discovered during preliminary research in 2023. They were mainly adult skeletons, but some were also children's and baby skeletons. The researchers took stomach samples to see which diseases the deceased suffered from. They also examined the bones, spine, and teeth.

The team found a golden crown in the teeth of an older woman on Thursday morning. "I had never seen that before," said Van Der Linden. Last week, the archaeologists found a woolen vest, and earlier, they stumbled upon a coin used to cover the eyes of the deceased. Certain finds can be seen in the exhibition 'Ontdek de Nieuwe Kerk,' which opens on Saturday.

According to architect Ray Kentie, the work on the foundations is essential because the eight columns are sinking up to 1.5 millimeters more than the rest of the church, causing cracks. "That is not dramatic yet, but in the long run, it will be. We do not want pieces to fall down." The work must be completed by December 6.

The project's financing, a total of 2.7 million euros, must be finalized by December. However, the director of the Nieuwe Kerk, Annabelle Birnie, said on Thursday that just under a million euros is still required. She added that they welcome donations.

During the exhibition, the public can see archeologists and contractors working on workdays from a two-meter-high walking bridge, where they must wear helmets. On Wednesday and Sunday afternoons, interested parties can learn archaeological techniques themselves.