During the restoration of Aquila Castle in Gragnola (Commune of Fivizzano, Province of Massa Carrara, Lunigiana Tuscany), beneath the floor of what must have been an old pig sty, the workmen of the construction company responsible for the excavation work, accidentally unearthed, in the late afternoon of 19th February 2004, some bone fragments. The following morning, on 20th February, the anthropologist Stefano Ricci (University of Siena) recognised the same fragments as those belonging to an adult man aged approximately 35 years of age: it was, in fact, the remains of a human burial in a subterranean grave.
The grave of the Knight (in the square) seen from the Parade Ground
Once Dr. Fabio Baroni of the Commune of Fivizzano, Dr. Paribeni of the Archaeological Heritage Inspectorate of Florence and the police of the Monzone station in Lunigiana had been informed, on 25th February the anthropologist Stefano Ricci (sent by the University of Siena) and the archaeologist Rita Lanza (sent by the Archaeological Heritage Inspectorate) began the recovery works on the human remains found in the castle, authorised by the relevant authorities.
Detail of the Knight’s grave
From the first excavation works which found the skull, the anthropologist and archaeologist found the strange fracture of some of his upper teeth, which were clean but had occurred soon after the individual’s death.
The Knight an the beginning of excavations
At 5.30pm on 26th February 2004, underneath the base of the skull, the earth brought to light a metal object that was still lodged in the second cervical vertebra. It was the tip of an arrow (this was the first opinion) fired into the mouth of the unfortunate victim, which had caused the fracture of the teeth and, in lodging itself literally in the second cervical vertebra, instant death.
The radiographies of the metal object then allowed for the confirmation that it was in fact a crossbow arrow that was much used in the XIV century, a historical fact that was confirmed by the scientific dating carried out a few weeks later, with the analysis of Carbon 14 (C-14) carried out on some of the samples of the bone remains.
The teeth smashed by the crossbow bolt
The result of the C-14 identified the period of death as around 1340. The bones were transported to the Anthropology laboratory of the University of Siena, where the finds were recomposed, analysed and are still the subject of studies. The most prominent experts in the field were involved, from Professor Francesco Mallegni, anthropologist at the University of Pisa, to Professor Vittorio Fineschi’s team, Legal Medicine Assistant at the University of Foggia; at the same University a literal autopsy was carried out. Incredibly, well-preserved larvae of flies were found on the crossbow arrowhead, recognised by the entomologists as meat-eating flies who feed on the remains of decomposing flesh.
This would confirm the theory that the man from the 1300’s was killed and then immediately buried, in order that the crime not be discovered. Anthropological studies have highlighted that it was almost certainly a Knight, given the conformation of the bones of the limbs. Many conferences and seminars have been held with the Gragnola Knight as the subject of the discussions over the years. The first was carried out at Aquila Castle itself on 30th May 2004, with presentations from Prof. Francesco Mallegni (University of Pisa), Prof. Stefano Ricci (University of Siena), Prof. Gaetano Pomara (University of Foggia) and other researchers and local authorities.
The audience at a conference about the Knight
All the conferences held and the studies still being carried out have given very reliable scientific answers to the dynamics of the crime, on the health of the Knight on his activities in life, but as many questions remain unanswered: who was that man? Why was he killed? Why was he buried inside Aquila Castle, right at the base of the imposing great tower? Historians are now investigating the mystery.
Professor Francesco Mallegni exhibits the skeleton of the Knight
The sepulchre of he who is now referred to as the Gragnola Knight (even on the websites of numerous scientific and historical organisations) can be visited, via email or web bookings or also by telephone contact with the management of Aquila Castle.
