Lier church authorities bury archaeological human remains in a collective grave

The church board of Sint-Gummaruskerk in Lier, Belgium, buried human remains in a collective grave known as a knekelput at the Kloosterheide municipal cemetery.

Workers discovered the fragments while installing ventilation and heating pipes during restoration work on the church. Filip Goemans, the chairman of the church board, explained that the remains are not intact skeletons but loose fragments from older burials.

Because the bones cannot be linked to specific individuals, the church and the city agreed to provide them with a respectful resting place. The board believes the remains date back to the 16th and 17th centuries. The city of Lier placed a memorial plaque at the site to honor the past. While these remains have been laid to rest, archaeological research continues at the Sint-Gummaruskerk.

Researchers are still searching for the grave of a Norse archbishop who reportedly died and was buried in the city.