Archaeologists Discover Grim Floor Paved With Bones During Dig

Archaeologists unearthed a macabre, centuries-old DIY project during a routine building renovation in the Netherlands, Live Science reported.

Construction crews renovating a 17th-century building in the city’s red-light district summoned archaeologists after they came across a tile floor patched with slices of bones. Though the discovery was shocking for all involved, researchers determined after some work that the bones didn’t belong to humans. Instead, they are from dozens of different cows. The discovery was made in Alkmaar, an area of the Netherlands which is known for its cheese production and is home to the Dutch Cheese Museum.

"We were very happy to have the chance to see this bone floor with our own eyes," Nancy de Jong, Alkmaar’s city archaeologist, said in a statement. "It is always a privilege to uncover something from a long-gone era and add new information to the history of Alkmaar."

Construction workers noticed the original tile was worn in one spot from overuse, and in its place circular, sawed off fragments of bone had been inserted. Scientists are still working to determine when exactly the bone was added to the floor, though similar patchings have been found in a variety of Dutch port towns dating back to the 15th century. Archaeologists plan to further examine the specimen to determine its precise use and production date.

"Discovering this floor is incredibly interesting," Almaar’s councilperson for heritage, Anjo van de Ven, said. "There are still so many hidden stories waiting for our team of archaeologists to come and find them."