On April 4th, a time capsule was discovered which may be linked to Jules Verne, the prominent science fiction writer. The excavation was led by French researchers from the Paris Descartes University and The Explorers Club NYC. They discovered the unusual find after an extensive study on the writer’s notes, documents, works, and his tomb.
As an important key figure in literature and the avant-garde, Verne is often called the father of science fiction. Jules Verne’s magnum opus is the creation of the “Voyages extraordinaires,” a highly acclaimed series of adventure novels.
#JulesVerne time capsule FOUND? Archaeologists make extraordinary find | World | News | https://t.co/ZE8SBiKgr3 https://t.co/TMcvDShRBv
— Jasper Jennings (@jenningsprints) April 14, 2017
Two Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and Around the World in Eighty Days, all these have cemented Verne’s place in literary heaven. He is the second most translated novelist in the world, right next to Shakespeare and Christie. Verne died in 1905 from diabetes complications at the age of 77. He is buried in a tomb at the Cimetière de la Madeleine in Amiens.
What the French archaeologists unearthed was a metal box which dates back to the 19th century, as the archaeologists claim. It is filled with documents, papers, books, and metal objects with various sizes. There are also engravings on the box but are barely visible due to oxidation.
With any luck, the papers may prove to be an unpublished material or the writer’s personal notes. The objects didn’t quite withstand the test of time, as being tucked away underground damaged the yellowed documents, and some of them are at the risk of crumbling in the hands of the researchers.
Thus, careful analysis is required. The researchers have conducted a special X-ray examination of the box in a controlled environment, not to damage the already deteriorated material.
So far, nothing has concluded that the time capsule is directly related to Verne, but the researchers are convinced there are some strong links. Elouan Beauséjour, an archaeologist from the Paris Descartes University, is planning to give a news conference to shed some light and conclude on the findings.
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The French researchers are convinced that the unearthed box belongs to Verne or some relative and that it dates back to the late 19th century. Despite contrary allegations, they have a strong belief that the papers belong to Verne. One can only hope that the documents may be his unpublished material or notes concerning his other works, but it is too early to jump to conclusions.