Real-life 'Three Musketeers' mystery deepens after excavation blunder destroys key evidence

The remains, which may belong to Charles de Batz de Castelmore d'Artagnan, were found near the altar of St. Peter and Paul Church in Maastricht, Netherlands, in February.

But on July 2, the Municipality of Maastricht announced a significant setback in the investigation - and pointed to improper archaeological work done before the official excavation on March 13.

"The excavation work carried out before March 13 was not documented according to standard archaeological procedures," the municipality said in a news release.

"As a result, a significant amount of archaeological information has been irreversibly lost."

When archaeologists began the official excavation, only about 50% of the skeleton remained in its original position, and roughly a third of the skeleton's skull was missing.

"The situation is highly complex because, during the initial excavation work, various bones were collected without documentation," the release noted.

In March, Dijkman told Reuters that the archaeological work became "a top-level investigation."

"We want to be absolutely certain - or as certain as ​possible - whether it is the famous musketeer who was killed here near Maastricht," he said.

At this stage, officials said it was unclear whether the skeleton belonged to d'Artagnan or not.

"This raises the question of whether such a diet was common among Catholic musketeers from France in the 17th century."

Officials also stressed the research does not rule out the possibility that the skeleton belonged to d'Artagnan.

"Based on the current data, this makes identification as d'Artagnan less likely, although it cannot be ruled out," the statement added.

Fox News Digital previously reached out to Dijkman for comment.