The Enigmatic Beauty of Europe’s Jeweled Skeletons
The Enigmatic History of Catacomb Saints When archaeologists unlocked the catacombs of Rome in 1578, they unleashed a wave of religious fervor. Catholic officials disinterred skeletal remains, which they assumed to be early Christian martyrs, and had artisans reassemble them. Encrusted with gold and jewels, these skeletons went on display in lavish shrines across Europe,…