Ancient convent yields rare saponified brain and child remains
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Archaeologists in Pontevedra, Spain, uncovered a chaplain’s body, a saponified brain, and the remains of children during excavations at the Santa Clara convent.
The team, led by Rafael Domínguez of the Pontevedra Provincial Council, has been working at the site for nearly a year and is now entering a laboratory phase to study the recovered materials.
The saponified brain, tissue converted into a soap-like substance, represents the first documented case of its kind on the Iberian Peninsula and is one of only a few known worldwide, with similar finds limited to Argentina, Chile, and Italy. Researchers also found burials of nuns with well-preserved shrouds, and the remains of two children, one still wearing shoes.
The team discovered the chaplain’s remains buried before the altar, complete with shoes and clothing, calling the find exceptional due to the textile preservation. Excavations also revealed new information about the convent’s original cloister, suggesting it may have initially had three wings. Archaeologists also located a rectangular structure south of a wooded area, but have yet to determine its purpose.
So far, the dig has yielded over 3,000 artifacts, including pottery fragments dating from the late 14th to 19th centuries, coins, glass, and stone tools.
