A New Discovery
The island wasn’t widely known to the general public, but it wasn’t new to scientists working there. Excavation attempts have been ongoing since 2017.
Though the island had held much promise when it was first earmarked as an archeological site, not much had been found. However, when the team began digging at a new spot, they were shocked at what was found there.
The Island
The island, known as Chapelle Dom Hue, is situated off the coast of Guernsey and has held interest for archaeologists for a while. Known as a medieval religious site, scientists have been eager to unlock its ancient history.
Excavation work had been ongoing on the island for years. Archaeologists have since worked out there was once probably a band of monks who lived there a long ago. However, it seemed there was much they didn’t know about it.
Surveys
It started when underground surveys clearly showed a spot on the island that had not been excavated yet. The news excited the teams that worked there.
While many movies glamorize the work of archaeologists, the reality could be pretty dull in comparison. With months of grunt work without finding much, it was easy to become despondent.
The New Site
Once the survey showed promise, the excavation teams began concentrating most of their efforts there. Early indications seemed to point to one thing.
As the work began, excitement built around the site. It was soon apparent that they were on the right track. The site appeared to be a burial site of some sort.
Pressure
Excavations of this nature came with a lot of pressure. Since most digs like these required a source of funding, the unspoken expectation was usually that something ought to be found to justify the money spent.
So far, the island that seemed promising hadn’t yielded much in the way of conclusive finds that could unravel some of its mysterious past. With a lot of resources already consumed, time was of the essence.
Unique Circumstances
The island was tiny and therefore at risk of being consumed by the water surrounding it. Over time, much of it seemed to have been lost to rising tides.
This made the project a uniquely complicated one. As the new site was close to the beach, there was added pressure to ensure it wasn’t washed away.
Getting There
The team that worked on the dig was a group of experts from around the world. Their joint expertise ensured that the best possible tools and methods were effectively used.
After much hard work and careful planning, the dig began progressing well. The deeper they went, the clearer the picture of what lay below became.
Confirmation
With meticulous precision, the team worked. Scraping away layers of ground to slowly uncover the site was a complicated and frustrating task.
There was an understandable urge to hurry through this stage, but the stakes were too high. It was soon confirmed that the site was up to 600 years old and required a gentle touch. One wrong move and it could be irrevocably compromised.
Coming To Life
As the dig progressed, the team was ecstatic when the site below became a reality. The scans and imaging were correct, and it was confirmed that there was definitely something there.
Finally, after a lot of hard work, the site was uncovered. It wasn’t immediately apparent until the artifacts were studied more closely.
Burial Chamber
The team was left perplexed as the site unraveled and the remains were studied. It was some sort of burial site. Finding the remains should have been a triumphant moment.
Instead, the archaeologists were left with new questions they had never considered asking. Frustratingly, it seemed there was now more work to do.
The Bones
After believing the island to be home to medieval monks, the archaeologists hadn't expected to make such a grim discovery. One of the skeletal remains belonged to a human.
However, for some reason, it seemed he had no hands. Then, the second skeleton posed an even bigger conundrum as it wasn’t even human.
A Mystery
By the time the complete picture emerged, the team had more questions than answers. They had discovered the medieval remains of a monk with no hands.
Inexplicably, he had been buried with the body of a porpoise, which was a large type of dolphin. No one could figure out what to make of this bizarre turn of events.
The Theories
Since 2017, it’s still unclear why a human and porpoise were once buried together on the island. There have been many theories. Some people believe that this was some kind of ancient preservation practice.
The theory went that the animal’s corpse was buried to preserve its meat for a future meal. However, none of this explains why the human was buried just a few feet away, with no hands. Other people suggest something more sinister.
Cursed
Some people have since suggested that the island is cursed. Other theories go darker still and say that the monks who lived here were into darker practices, the kind no church would ordain.
In reality, scientists suggest that the unfortunate monk simply lost his hands to leprosy. However, the issue of the porpoise remains a mystery.
Not Over
In time, archaeologists hope to uncover more about this creepy, mysterious little island. Until then, wild and wacky theories are likely to keep popping up.
Whatever the truth, the island has proven to hold many secrets, so archaeologists are keen to one day unlock them all. What do you think is the reason why the monk and porpoise were buried together? In order to protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblances to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.