Archaeologists working in a 14th-century monastery in Barcelona have analyzed the remains of 25 individuals buried in eight different graves, including the tomb of the medieval Queen Elisenda de Montcada. 

Elisenda’s tomb was opened as part of a project conducted by the Royal Monastery of Santa Maria Pedralbes to learn more about her life and the living conditions of women in the 14th century, according to a late May statement from the Culture Institute of Barcelona.

Elisenda married King James II of Aragon and Valencia (in what is now modern eastern Spain) at the age of 30, a month after the death of his third wife. During James' absence between 1324 and 1327, she served as regent of Aragon, and after his death in 1327, she lived adjacent to the monastery for the remaining 37 years of her life.

The work, which includes genetic analyses, dating, and material studies, began in 2024 and will continue until May 2027 as part of the monastery’s 700th anniversary celebrations.

Analysis of Elisenda’s tomb confirmed that the remains buried within the medieval wooden box belonged to the queen.

Elisenda’s remains, aged at 70-years-old, were found to have been buried in what is now traces of austere clothing, believed to be similar to a monastic habit.

Additional fabrics, including a fragment made of tinsel and silk, were discovered alongside the remains.

Out of the other 14th-century graves that were unearthed, the statement explained, analysis of the remains found within has led to the revision of historical attribution to the tombs.

In the grave attributed to the Aragonese knight Artau de Foces, archaeologists discovered the remains of two women and three children - but none belonging to a man. 

Similarly, the remains of at least nine individuals from different time periods were discovered within the tomb of Francesca Saportella, the monastery’s second abbess and Elisanda’s niece.

A majority of the 25 individuals identified were adult women, some of a more advanced age than that expected for women living in medieval times. Several children and adolescents were also buried in the eight graves.

Researchers also identified the presence of osteoarticular pathologies, indicative of either metabolic diseases or traumatic injuries, which may provide insight into the living conditions and health status of the high-status female community in the 14th century.

According to the ministry’s statement, researchers are also conducting DNA analysis of bone and dental samples taken from the individuals in an attempt to confirm their identities, determine their original places of burial, and discover if any have living kin.

Additionally, the exhumation of the remains allowed the researchers a glimpse into little-known funerary practices belonging to the medieval monastery.

Burials in textile bundles and burial sacks have been identified alongside traces of ritualistic elements, such as candles and cords, as well as evidence of reorganization and reburial over time.

Over 200 traces of floral and aromatic offerings commonly associated with funeral rites, medicinal, and symbolic usage were also found within the eight graves.