The Romanov family tomb in the church of the holy spirit in the Novosspasky monastery: 2014 excavations

Archaeological excavations at the family tomb of the Romanov, Cherkassky, and Sitsky boyars in the Church of the Holy Sign of the Novosspasky (Savior's) Monastery have been carried out the first time. This family tomb is linked to a story of repressions against the Romanov family organized by Tsar Boris Godunov, who was their rival. As a result of these repressions one line of this family, i.e. Nikita Romanov's sons, almost perished in remote corners of the country where they were deported in the 1600s. When the Godunovs were overthrown the bodies of the brothers and their matrilineal relations were transferred to their patrimonial monastery and for the first time in Russian history denunciatory inscriptions were carved on tombstones. A special church was built over the tomb, which was replaced by another church in the 18th century. The area within the church considered to contain the tomb of the Romanov brothers was excavated in 2014 and the sarcophagi discovered were opened. It was established that the deceased buried in the sarcophagi belonged to the Cherkassky family of the mid-17th century, whereas a special vault revealed the tomb of Martha Romanova, wife of Prince Boris Cherkassky (the aunt of the first Russian Tsar Mikhail Romanov who saved his life during repressions and participated in his education).