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How One Man’s Quest for a Musketeer’s Bones Got Him Locked Up
The New York Times • • world
Key Points:
- Wim Dijkman, a retired archaeologist, conducted an unauthorized excavation in an old church near Maastricht, Netherlands, unearthing a skeleton that may include bones belonging to the historical figure D’Artagnan.
- The excavation was done without permits and kept largely secret, even from church parishioners, prompting local officials to intervene once they became aware of the dig.
- Authorities demanded the return of the bones, which Dijkman had sent to Munich for carbon dating and DNA testing, expressing concern over the unauthorized activity.
- Dijkman criticized local officials as bureaucratic and implied they were motivated by jealousy, claiming they had never made significant discoveries themselves.
