So if they are St. Peter’s bones, where were they I wonder the 1,000 years before the church was built?
The article says the DNA of these bones will be analyzed and compared with the bones found under St. Peter’s Basilica with the inscription “ENI PETRUS” (This is Peter.)
It wouldn’t prove it was Peter, but it would prove both locations had bones from the same man. This would be as expected if they were venerated as holy relics...they would have been divided up and placed in or under the altar stones at several locations for veneration and safekeeping.