A photographer got a surprise last week in Ireland, when tropical storm Ophelia unearthed ancient skeletal remains that might be 1,000 years old.

The skeleton was unearthed at Kilmore Quay in County Wexford, on the south-eastern tip of the Republic of Ireland. It was spotted by a walker on Tuesday, reported the Irish Daily Mirror, a day after the storm had hit, leaving three dead.

Photographer Jim Campbell was alerted to the discovery, at a spot called Forlorn Point, and went out to the location to take some pictures. He had thought it might be someone killed by the hurricane, but later research revealed its much more ancient origins.

“I was surprised,” Campbell told IFLScience. “My first reaction was ‘Oh no’, thinking someone went missing. But as the day progressed we realised that this was an ancient skeleton.”

Jim Campbell Photography

An archaeologist arrived on site to assess the body, suggesting it may be as much as 1,000 years old. The skeleton is now going to be taken to Dublin for archaeological testing, to find out the exact age.

It’s thought this may have been an ancient burial site, which had gone undiscovered until now. Soil nearby was eroded as the walkway on the coast was battered by the sea.

The remains will be looked after by the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin after they have been examined.

Jim Campbell Photography

(H/T: Irish Daily Mirror)