First thing to clear up is that it’s obviously not the real Santa Claus’ tomb, as he’s currently at the North Pole preparing to deliver presents to us all in time for December 25.
However, it is suspected that the tomb in question is that of Saint Nicholas, an early Christian bishop who inspired the Santa we know and love today.
Santa Claus was inspired by Saint Nicholas (Getty Stock Images)
For the last two years, archaeologists have been conducting a study of the Church of Saint Nicholas, which is located in the ancient city of Myra (which is now the modern town of Demre, Antalya, Turkey).
Recent excavations conducted in the church’s two-storey annex uncovered a limestone sarcophagus, Heritage Daily reports.
It measures at two meters long and was buried at a depth of 1.5 to 2 meters.
Speaking about the historic find, Associate Professor Ebru Fatma Findik from Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, said: “Our biggest hope is to find an inscription on the sarcophagus. This would help clarify the burial contents and allow us to determine the exact period it dates from.”
A tomb believed to be Saint Nicholas’ has been located (DHA)
Findik added that ‘further excavation is expected to reveal more details in the coming months’.
Doubling down on how huge the discovery of the sarcophagus is, he went on: “This could be a significant archaeological confirmation of historical sources regarding the burial place of Saint Nicholas.”
A video of archeologists measuring the tomb has been distributed online, and it’s left everyone pointing out the same thing.
Noting the red and white striped tool that’s seen being used to measure it, one person on Twitter quipped: “Did they identify it by the giant candy cane that woman has?”
Someone else joked: “(Measuring the tomb with a candy cane yard stick) Yep this is santa alright.”
“They measured it with a candy cane lmao,” echoed a third.
With this in mind, another person hailed the candy cane-like tool as ‘hilarious’.
A different person penned: “Lol she digging him up with a candy cane? On brand.”
Someone else said that ‘using a candy cane for measurements’ was ‘appropriate’ under the circumstances.
Another person questioned if there’s just milk and cookies in the tomb, and they could be right as there’s not actually any bones in there because Saint Nicholas’ remains are actually in a tomb in the crypt of the Basilica di San Nicola, Bari, Italy.
Italian merchants are said to have stolen the remains from Myra and taken them to Bari in 1087.
