Nicolaus Copernicus. Portrait from Muzeum Okręgowe w Toruniu.
Copernicus died in 1543 in Frombork, at the age of 70 and was burried under the floor of Fromborks' archsee. No one marked his grave with the tomb stone. For almost five centuries his grave was missed.
Priest bishop dr Jacek Jezierski.
Knowing the new theory developed by dr Jerzy Sikorski, about the place where Nicolaus Copernicus missing grave should be found, bishop Jezierski, the provost of Frombork archsee, asked prof. Jerzy Gąssowski to start searching project.
prof. dr hab. Jerzy Gąssowski
Archeologist, multidisciplinary team leader, running Institute of Anthropology and Archeology of Pułtusk School of Humanities, who decided to find "a needle in a haystack" as he described the aim of Copernicus' grave search.
dr Jerzy Sikorski
Historian of life and work of Nicolaus Copernicus. His new theory pointed where the Copernicus' grave should be found started "avalanche".
Excavation site. 3D visualization Michał Juszczakiewicz.
According to the theory of dr Sikorski researchers started their archaeological excavations close to the Holy Cross altair in the Frombork archsee.
Woman remains.
Second year of excavations unfold many remains, partly distroyed by later graves. That is the grave of 20 years old woman from XVIII century.
mgr Beata Jurkiewicz
Archeologist mgr Jurkiewicz, prof. Gąssowski assistant, pointing at forty years old man skull.
mgr Błażej Muzolf
Archeologist, specialis of stratihgraphy from Lodz University. Mgr Muzolf worked with mgr Jurkiewicz, and picked up with her "the best candidate" from the site. He also confirmed that "the best candidate" was found in the layer belonged to the begining of the XVI century.
dr hab. prof. Karol Piasecki
Anthropologist prof. Karol Piasecki had to examined and identified the remains. Professor was looking for the 70 years old man skull. Abowe prof. Piasecki is looking at "the best candidate".
prof. Wiesław Bogdanowicz
Prof. Bogdanowicz Head of the Museum & Institute of Zoology PAS did first DNA identification and 3D scans of the possible Copernicus' skull.
dr Tomasz Kupiec
Dr Kupiec from Institute of Forensic Research in Cracow, did second DNA analyses from the material from the skull and bones.
podinsp. Dariusz Zajdel/ image of the face protected because of profession
Podinspektor Zajdel from Central Forensic Laboratory of the Polish Police, specialist of reconstruction of the face from the remains did scientific reconstruction based on the possible Copernicus' skull.
Copernicus Head Reconstruction. Author: podinspektor Dariusz Zajdel.
Scientists with probability close to certainity state that they found the Copernicus' grave and they get readible DNA. To confirm discovery they have to find the DNA from Copernicus' relatives to compare.
prof. Krzysztof Mikulski
Prof. Mikulski historian and genealogist from Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, set up the team to study registral documents to find Copernicus' relatives "death or alive", to find the ideal donor of the DNA to compare.
dr hab. Tomasz Węcławowicz
Dr Węcławowicz, specialist of the medieval architecture from The Pontifical Academy of Theology in Cracow. He had to oversee, and consult the searching for the Watzenrode crypt in the Frombork archsee.
Searching for Watzenrode crypt. "Mefisto" Company drilling crew.
Bishop Watzenrode, Copernicus' uncle, was ideal DNA donor. He died in 1512 and probably had his eternal rest in Frombork.
doc. dr Goran Henriksson
Doc. Henriksson, astronomer from Uppsala, proposed prof. Gąssowski to start searching for Copernicus DNA at Copernicus' private library which is now in Uppsala. The ideal scientist for that purpose should be dr Marie Allen from Uppsala.
dr Marie Allen
Dr Marie Allen genetic expert, from Rudbeck Labolatory, specialist in finding small DNA samples on the stage of crime join the prof. Gąssowski multidisciplinary team.
prof. Władysław Duczko, doc. dr Goran Henriksson, dr Marie Allen
The extraordinary moment of the research - searching for Copernicus hair at the Stoefler Almanach in Museum Gustavianum, Uppsala, Sweden.
Copernicus skull / left profile
Copernicus skull / right profile
Copernicus skull / en face