Archaeologists conducting excavations in Nuremberg, Germany, have unearthed what may be the largest mass burial site of plague victims ever found in Europe.
An unearthed section of one of the pits: dead buried in a sitting position (left) and people lying on their side (bottom half) with a dense filling in the center of the pit. Credit: In Terra Veritas)
Led by archaeologist Melanie Langbein from the Department of Heritage Conservation in Nuremberg and Julian Decker from the excavation company ‘In Terra Veritas,’ the excavation has unveiled eight mass graves, each holding hundreds of skeletons. The site has yielded remains of more than 1,000 individuals so far, with estimates suggesting that there could be as many as 1,500 or even more interred there.
The bubonic plague was a highly contagious and deadly disease that ravaged Europe in waves throughout history. Radiocarbon dating and historical documents, including a note dating back to 1634 detailing a plague outbreak in the early 17th century, provide critical clues for dating the remains. These pieces of evidence suggest that the mass graves likely date back to the 1632-1633 epidemic.
Some of the bodies were packed tightly together in a seated position. Credit: In Terra Veritas
The excavation has revealed not only the tragic toll of the epidemic but also the hurried and unconventional burial practices necessitated by the urgent need to dispose of the dead. Bodies were packed tightly into the pits, with little regard for traditional Christian burial customs. Langbein said: “This means a large number of dead people who needed to be buried in a short time frame without regard to Christian burial practices.”
The green tint on some of the bones is attributed to the site’s historical use for disposing of waste from a nearby copper mill. Credit: In Terra Veritas
The discovery challenges previous assumptions about burial practices during plague outbreaks, highlighting the desperation and chaos that gripped communities in the face of such widespread death and suffering.
Nuremberg’s Lord Mayor Marcus König underscored the significance of the find, stating, “The graves contain the mortal remains of children and old people, men and women; the plague did not stop at gender, age or social status.” This sentiment was echoed by Julian Decker, head of the excavation company, who expressed astonishment at the sheer number of skeletal remains unearthed.
Despite challenges such as bomb damage from World War II and environmental factors like waste from nearby industries staining the remains, archaeologists remain dedicated to meticulously documenting and analyzing each discovery.
The remains are thought to date from the 1632-1633 plague epidemic. Credit: In Terra Veritas
Plans for further research, including DNA analysis of the bones and examination of parasite eggs in the soil, are already underway. Florian Melzer, an anthropologist involved in the excavation, said: “We can now detail out all [the] information that is kept in those bones, [for example] the prevalence of different kinds of cancer, genetic mutations that show in skull, age and sex determination, status of the teeth and conclusions from that to the general health and life circumstances in this period.”
Ralf Schekira, managing director of the company responsible for the construction project, emphasized the need to balance the demands of development with the preservation of cultural heritage, stating, “We did not expect such a discovery and will now try to make the best of the situation.”