Archaeologists find skeletons of a historic cemetery in central London
Archaeologists working on the construction of Crossrail, a project aimed at building major new rail links in central London, found thirteen skeletons buried about five feet deep. According to the publication of the site itself, the bones would be the first evidence of a lost historic cemetery in the English capital.
According to experts, historical accounts refer to the Farringdon area cemetery as “no man's land”, which was opened in 1348 due to the numerous deaths caused by the Black Death. Records also indicate that the tomb operated until 1500 and that approximately 50, 000 people may have been buried there in just three years.
The skeletons have been found lined up under the access streets around Charterhouse Square and are being carefully excavated and taken to the London Archeology Museum. Initial analysis indicates that the bones already found are around 660 years old, but they will still undergo more accurate laboratory tests.
Scientists are hoping to map the DNA signature of the bacteria that caused this dreaded pest and eventually contribute to the discussion of what caused the Black Death. The disease-causing microorganisms do not survive long in the soil, which means that only bones present no health risk these days.
