Barcelona researchers have opened the tomb of Queen Elisenda de Montcada at the Royal Monastery of Pedralbes, adding new detail to the city’s medieval history. The work is part of a wider study that began in 2024 and is due to continue until May 2027.
The project brings together archaeology, anthropology and genetic analysis for the first time in an integrated study at the monastery. Researchers say the tomb confirms Elisenda’s remains are inside a medieval wooden box, and it also offers fresh information about her burial, her age and the living conditions of the 14th-century female community.
The investigation is part of a broader research, restoration and conservation programme for the monastery’s foundational period tombs. It began in late 2024, as the site marked the 700th anniversary of the cenobium, which dates from 1326 to 2026.
One key finding is that some long-held attributions need revising. The sepulchre thought to belong to Artau de Foces did not contain a male individual, but the remains of two women and three children. The tomb of Francesca Saportella contained at least nine individuals from different periods, which points to later reopening and alteration.
Bioanthropological analysis shows that most of the remains belong to adult women, with some reaching an advanced age for the medieval period. The collection also includes children and adolescents. Researchers identified osteoarticular pathologies, possible metabolic diseases and traumatic injuries, which help build a picture of health and daily life in this high-status female community.
Anna Castellano-Tresserra, director of the Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Pedralbes, leads the project. Josep Maria Vila is responsible for the archaeological work, Javier Chillida oversees preventive conservation and restoration, and Carme Rissech handles physical anthropology. The monastery is in Barcelona’s Sarrià-Sant Gervasi district and remains one of the city’s most important medieval religious sites. For more on local coverage, see our Community and Sport pages.
Originally published by Tot Barcelona. Read the original article. For the monastery’s official site, see Royal Monastery of Pedralbes.
