The 800-year old skull of a Crusader stolen from a church in Dublin has been recovered by Irish police.
The skull was detached from its skeleton in the crypt of St Michan’s Church last month and the crime was only discovered when a guide opened the church for visitors.
They found the crypt badly damaged and several of the mummies within it – including the 400-year-old remains of a nun – had been desecrated.
The Crusader’s body was turned over and his head had been removed.
Officers from Bridewell police station said they recovered the head of the Crusader on Tuesday, along with another skull that had been taken over the weekend of February 24.
The Crusades were a series of conflicts that took place during the medieval period. They were sanctioned by the Catholic Church and drew fighters from across Europe in an attempt to dislodge the Holy Land from Muslim rule.
A gardai (Irish police) spokesman said: “The items were recovered as a result of information that came into the possession of the investigating gardai.”
The spokesman added the National Museum of Ireland was acting in an advisory capacity.
The Archbishop of Dublin Michael Jackson described his outrage at the thefts last month.
“I am shocked that someone would target this ancient burial place and desecrate the remains of those lying within it,” he said.
“Not only have these individuals desecrated the sacred crypt but they have destroyed these historic mummies which have been preserved in St Michan’s for hundreds of years.”
Archdeacon David Pierpoint said he had been left “upset and disappointed” over the incident.
He added: “The actions of these people are devastating and sacrilegious.
“We are upset at the amount of damage that has been caused. But also the crypt will have to close so tourists will not be able to visit. It is very frustrating.”