A new reminder of the Black Death plague that decimated Europe has been unearthed in a Lincolnshire burial site – the remains of dozens of people wiped out 650 years ago.
As the world focuses on the spread of coronavirus, the archaeologists’ discoveries shed terrifying new light on the humanitarian disaster that befell the world in the 14th century.
A mass grave containing 48 skeletons, including 27 children, was found on the site of a former monastery hospital at Thornton Abbey.
Scientists have been working at the site since 2011 but the number of bodies it contains has only recently become clear.
In addition to the skeletal remains, a Tau Cross pendant was found at the scene that was believed to have treated St. Anthony’s fire – a skin condition that made victims feel as if their limbs were on fire.
It has been over 650 years since the Black Death spread through Europe, but archaeologist are still finding haunting reminders of its rampage. A mass grave of 48 skeletons was recently discovered at the site of a 14th century monastery hospital at Thornton Abbey, Lincolnshire
This graphic shows the placement of the bodies in the mass grave, discovered in Lincolnshire
It is estimated, that some 200 million people lost their lives to this horrific plague. Dr. Hugh Willmott from the University of Sheffield’s Department of Archaeology, has been working on the excavation site in Lincolnshire since 2011
The Black Death, which ravaged Europe from 1346 to 1353, was caused by a bacterium called Yersinia pestis that can cause several forms of plague and can be transmitted to humans by fleas.
Black rats, which were abundant along trade routes, acted as carriers of the plague when fleas hitched a ride on their backs.
It is estimated, that some 200 million people lost their lives to this horrific plague.
Such a large burial ground at Thornton Abbey suggests the community was all but wiped out by the sheer number of plague victims, scientists said.
Dr Hugh Willmott from the University of Sheffield’s Department of Archaeology, has been working on the excavation site in Lincolnshire since 2011.
He said: ‘Despite the fact it is now estimated that up to half the population of England perished during the Black Death, multiple graves associated with the event are extremely rare in this country, and it seems local communities continued to dispose of their loved ones in as ordinary a way as possible.’
The Black Death, which ravaged Europe from 1346 to 1353, was caused by a bacterium called Yersinia pestis that can cause several forms of plague and can be transmitted to humans by fleas
The mass burial of bodies, known to be victims of the Black Death, has been discovered at the site of a 14th century monastery hospital at Thornton Abbey, Lincolnshire
‘The only two previously identified 14th century sites where Yersinia pestis [the bacterium responsible for the plague] has been identified are historically documented cemeteries in London, where the civic authorities were forced to open new emergency burial grounds to cope with the very large numbers of the urban dead.’
‘The finding of a previously unknown and completely unexpected mass burial dating to this period in a quiet corner of rural Lincolnshire is thus far unique, and sheds light into the real difficulties faced by a small community ill prepared to face such a devastating threat.’
Dr. Willmott added: ‘While skeletons are interesting, they just represent the end of somebody’s life and actually what we are interested in as archaeologists is the life they led before they died.’
‘One of the ways we can connect with that is through the everyday objects they left behind.
Among the skeletal remains was a small gold pendant called a Tau Cross.
This piece was believed to cure St Anthony’s fire, which is a skin condition that makes the person feel as if their limbs are on fire.
The pendant is circular with a ‘T’ in the centre that is etched with different designs.
In addition to the skeletal remains, a Tau Cross pendant was found at the scene that was believed to have treated St. Anthony’s fire – a skin condition that made victims feel as if their limbs were on fire
The team are sending the remains to a lab and there DNA samples will be analysed. Dr. Diana Mahoney Swales, from the University of Sheffield’s Department for Lifelong Learning, who is leading the study of the bodies, said that once the skeletons return to the lab the scientists will be able to start learning who these people are
The team is sending the remains to a lab and there DNA samples will be analysed.
Dr. Diana Mahoney Swales, from the University of Sheffield’s Department for Lifelong Learning, who is leading the study of the bodies, said: ‘Once the skeletons return to the lab we start properly learning who these people really are.’
‘We do this by identifying whether they are male or female, children or adults.’
‘And then we start to investigate the diseases that they may have lived through, such as metabolic diseases like rickets and scurvy which are degenerative diseases for the skeleton.
‘However for diseases such as plague, which are lethal, we have to use ancient DNA analysis to investigate that further.’