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Musketeer's 'Bullet' Was Just a Nail Fragment
3 Jul
Summary
- Iron object found near d'Artagnan remains identified as nail fragment.
- Object's weight (3.3g) rules out it being a bullet.
- Skeleton's origin inconsistent with d'Artagnan's birthplace.
An iron object discovered near skeletal remains in Maastricht, believed to be those of the French musketeer Charles de Batz Castelmore d'Artagnan, has been identified as a nail fragment, not a bullet. Scientists examined the 3.3-gram object, concluding it was too light to be ammunition.
The discovery provides no clarity on the cause of death or the identity of the individual. Previous findings in March indicated the skeleton, unearthed at a Maastricht church, fit d'Artagnan's age range.
However, isotope analysis suggested origins in Eastern or Southeastern Europe, contradicting d'Artagnan's birthplace in Gascony, France. Further archaeological, historical, and genetic research, including DNA profiling, is needed to confirm if the skeleton belongs to the leader of King Louis XIV's musketeers, who died in 1673.
