[MR] History Blog: Ancient Sarcophagus Opened in Mainz

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

It isn't often that I find something to post about Germany, but we hit the
jackpot today. The History Blog is offering a story about a 1,000-year-old
sarcophagus which has been opened by researchers in the Church of St. John
in Mainz, Germany: http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/55413 .

The burial is thought to be Archbishop Erkanbald who died in 1021. If the
scant surviving remains are proven to be his, this will confirm that St.
John's was a cathedral before the present Mainz cathedral was consecrated
in 1036.

Wikipedia has a biographical sketch of Archbishop Erkanbald. It is pretty
short, but given how long ago he died, that isn't surprising:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erkanbald .

More about St. John's Church, including a photograph, is found at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._John%27s_Church,_Mainz .

The current Mainz Cathedral is discussed at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mainz_Cathedral .

Yours Aye,

Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆