A hairpin belonging to 16th century French Queen Catherine de
Medici has been discovered at a royal residence outside Paris.
What has conservators scratching their heads is exactly where it
was found: down a communal toilet. Officials said it’s the first
time in modern history that a possession of the Renaissance
royal has been found at Fontainebleau Palace. Though the queen
was renowned across Europe for her lavish jewelry, much of her
collection has been lost, sold or stolen over the centuries. The
rare 9 centimeter-pin was identified easily because it bore
interlocking C’s - for “Catherine.” The artifact was found by
accident as archeologists dug around the toilet to prepare the
surrounding area for restoration. Droguet called the find a
“mystery.” “But what would Catherine de Medici be doing there?
Maybe it was a lady-in-waiting who took it. Perhaps it just fell
in.” (source)