Two skeletons found under the Grote Markt in Groningen. ‘It’s special that they find something every time’

About ten people have already gathered at the fences surrounding the work on the Grote Markt. Some stand on their tiptoes to catch a glimpse. Why are they there? That is not entirely clear yet. An older woman in a black coat dares to ask: “What’s going on?” “There’s a dead body here,” is quickly shouted back. “Well, that’s not too bad, it’s a skeleton,” says local resident Henk (67) calmly. He often walks through the market during his daily walk and has been standing at the fence for a while, watching.

Tree trunk box

The first traces of the medieval skeletons were found by chance last Monday. The construction of a pipe required digging a little deeper. It turned out that there was another skeleton underneath the first skeleton. “The first skeleton was in a tree trunk box, a hollowed out tree trunk, and the other in a wooden box,” explains expert Erik Akkerman (56).

But why are there skeletons there? According to Akkerman, the place on the Grote Markt where the skeletons were found used to be a cemetery. It belonged to a wooden church that stood on the site of the current Martini Church in the early Middle Ages.

DNA samples

Henk watches as two researchers in white suits stand over the second skeleton. The other skeleton was already stored on Monday. “That they find something every time,” says Henk in surprise. “Very special.” The researchers are busy collecting DNA samples from the skeletons. Then it will become clear whether the skeletons belong to men or women. And the DNA may provide a glimpse into where the skeletons came from.

But Henk dares to guess: “I think they are two men and from the looks of it they are quite tall.” The answer to that is still pending. More research needs to be done first. “But the skeletons are between 1.50 and 1.60 meters long, so not as tall as we are now,” Erik explains with a laugh.