Scientific board to examine 19th century Russian soldier found inside unearthed coffin in Turkey’s Ardahan

KARS

A scientific board has been established to examine the skeleton of a Russian military officer that was found inside an unearthed coffin in the eastern province of Ardahan last month, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on May 17.

The board including experts from Istanbul and the eastern province of Erzurum will study to protect and identify the skeleton of the officer who is believed to have been killed during the Ottoman-Russian War in 1877-1878, the general director of Kars Museum, Necmettin Alp, told the agency.

“The general directorate of cultural heritage and museum swiftly formed a team in Istanbul and Erzurum conservation directorates. This team will arrive at the museum next week and they will begin disinfection and repair works of the skeleton and the coffin,” Alp said, adding that a report will ultimately be prepared to identify the soldier and determine the cause of his death.

The coffin, initially believed to have belonged to the Russian general, was unearthed during foundation excavations for a construction project in Ardahan on April 26.

It had later been put under protection at the Kars Museum.