Archaeologists discover mummy of boy in family tomb in Skalná
The Hendrich family tomb in Skalná in the Cheb region, which was seriously damaged by vandals, was opened after a difficult reconstruction. After the archaeological research that preceded the reconstruction, experts also discovered the mummified remains of the six-year-old boy for whom the tomb was originally built. The monument now serves as a reminder of the family tragedy.
Since the end of the Second World War, the tomb has gradually decayed, compounded by extensive destruction by vandals who have forced their way into most of the coffins. So, the town of Skalná decided to save the historic building and had it reconstructed. During the archaeological survey, a number of interesting discoveries were made. Michal Beránek, an archaeologist at the Cheb Museum, spoke to Czech Radio with more:
"It wasn't just an archaeological dig, naturally, because it is a burial site. Then following an agreement with the town of Skalná, the restoration of selected coffins was carried out, which represent the funerary culture of the late 19th century quite well."
The circumstances of Hendrichs' tomb
The family tomb was built in 1888 by Ladislav Hendrich, the regional court councillor. The first documented record of his stay in Skalná comes from a registry book from 1877, when he married the seventeen-year-old Sophie Müller. The couple first had a son Rudolf, and a few years later, on 16 May 1881, the second-born Ernst was born. He tragically died of scarlet fever on 1 June 1887, just six years after his birth. Hendrich had a tomb and chapel built in his memory.
During the archaeological research, the remains in 18 coffins were examined, and the exceptionally well-preserved mummified remains of Ernst Gabriel Hendrich were found. Experts were interested not only in the boy's state of health before his death, but also in the process of mummification. Beránek described the results of the research:
"It turned out that the degradation was not significant, and even organs like the brain, which are largely made up of water, actually dried out and remained in the deceased."
The tragic events did not end with Ernst's death
In 1889, the Hendrichs' first-born son also died and was buried next to his younger brother. The unique find has attracted the attention of historians and the general public alike. But the town of Skalná plans to make the tomb accessible only on special occasions.
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