考古學家發現350年前貴婦遺骸保存完好

Archaeologists in France have unearthed the extraordinarily well-preserved corpse of a 17th-century noblewoman -- still dressed in her dress, bonnet and shoes。

法國考古學家發掘一具17世界貴婦遺骸，遺體上依舊穿着長袍以及鞋帽，保存完好。

A team from the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research discovered the body when they pried open her lead coffin during a rescue excavation on the construction site of a new conference center in Rennes in northwestern France。

在法國西北城市雷恩的新會議中心建築工地上，法國國家考古人員研究所的一組人員在搶救性挖掘時發現了這具遺體，並撬開了這座鉛質棺槨。

"When we opened the coffin (we) saw a body, a lot of volume of fabric, the shoes," said anthropologist Rozenn Colleter, who is part of the team. "We didn’t know how well-preserved she was until we scanned her."

“打開棺槨，我們看到了遺骸，裏面還有大量織物和鞋子，”小組成員考古學家羅森·柯萊特說道，“我們並不知道她到底保存的怎樣，只有等到掃面之後。”

Colleter describes her as a "natural mummy -- particularly well preserved."

柯萊特描述到“自然木乃伊——保存十分完好”。

Inscriptions allowed the archaeologists to identify the nearly intact body as belonging to Louise de Quengo, Lady of Brefeillac, who died in 1656.

考古學家根據碑文基本上可以確定這具遺體的主人很可能是露易·迪昂古(Louise de Quengo)，死於1656年。

Louise was buried in a cape, serge wool dress and plain shirt and leather mules with cork soles. Her face was covered with a shroud, two bonnets and a hood。

迪昂古的遺體上穿着披肩，粗縫毛衣，粗布襯衫，軟木底皮革穆勒鞋。她的頭上戴着帽子，臉上蒙着面紗。

Her lead coffin was first opened in March 2014. It was -- among approximately 800 graves -- found at the site, which has housed the Convent of the Jacobins since the 12th century。

她的棺槨於2014年3月首次打開。自12世紀起，這裏是雅各賓派的修道院，在大約800多墳墓中，發現了她的墓地。

A lead reliquary containing the heart of her husband, Toussaint de Perrien, who died in 1649 was also discovered nearby。

在一個鉛質聖骨匣裏，發現了她丈夫特桑·佩雷(Toussaint Perrien)的心臟，他死於1649年，就在她的旁邊。

Once the coffin was open, the team had to rush to preserve her body。

一旦打開棺槨，工作人員需要立刻保護遺體。

A unique set of circumstances had preserved the corpse for hundreds of years, but it was not embalmed so they knew decomposition would start rapidly。

獨特的環境使遺體存放了幾百年，但並不防腐，所以他們遺體會馬上腐爛。

"We had only a few days to work," said Colleter。

“我們只有幾天時間。”柯萊特說。

They collaborated with scientists from the Molecular Anthropology and Synthetic Imaging Laboratory at the University of Toulouse to scan the entire body。

他們和圖盧茲大學分子人類學和合成成像實驗室的科學家合作掃描整具遺體。

They also collected samples of uncontaminated human tissue and DNA and pathogens including tuberculosis. Samples could help researchers looking for a cure of tuberculosis, said Colleter。

他們還收集了未被污染的人體組織，DNA以及病原體，包括肺結核。柯萊特表示，樣本可以幫助研究人員找出肺結核治癒方法。

From analysis, the scientists concluded that Louise de Quengo died from an infection。

通過分析，科學家得出結論露易·迪昂古死於傳染病。

"It’s extraordinary," said Colleter of finding such a well-preserved corpse. "You have to have a lead coffin, but it has to be (hermetically sealed)， without insects and the humidity has to be low. "The doctors said the body was like (one) that has been buried for two weeks, but she is 350."

“太讚了，”發現這樣保存完好的遺骸，柯萊特說，“必須要用鉛質棺槨，但要密封，不能有蟲子，保持很低的溼度。”醫生說這具遺體就像是剛下葬兩週，但實際上已經350年了。”

Louise de Quengo will be reburied once all the scientific tests are completed。

當所有檢測完成後，露易·迪昂古將會入土長眠。