Did Jules Verne leave clues to help us find his “time capsule”?

It seems the author of the science fiction classics Twenty-thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Around the World in Eighty Days, and Journey to the Center of the Earth may have left some clues in his writing and in his gravesite itself about the existence of the time capsule.

A close study of the works of Verne himself, and – the plot thickens! – an analysis of his tomb, provided enough clues to call for an investigation into the possible existence of a hidden object.University of Descartes archaeologist Elouan Beauséjour explained on Twitter how the location and design of the gravestone itself lead researchers to the discovery of the buried metal box:

https://twitter.com/ElouanBeausejou/status/853641486679896066

https://twitter.com/ElouanBeausejou/status/854661888730435585

Beauséjour and a team of archaeologists and historians from the University of Descartes in Paris and the Explorers Club of New York City began the search in September, using drones and geo-radar devices to find a buried metal box, according to a report at ABC.

So far it has not been conclusively determined that the box actually belonged to Verne. Engravings on the outside of the box were damaged by oxidation, and have become barely readable, according to ABC.

A preliminary x-ray of the box has revealed the existence of documents, books (possibly unpublished works by Verne!) and various metal objects, which the team hopes to present to the public in coming months.