The Plague Cemetery in Nuremberg Reveals Its Secrets
In Nuremberg lies one of the largest plague cemeteries in Europe. For centuries, the remains of victims of the Black Death have been stacked there, sometimes in multiple layers. Researchers hope to gain important insights into life in the 17th century from them.
Excavations on a massive 17th-century plague cemetery in Nuremberg are nearing their end. According to city archaeologist Melanie Langbein, the remains of more than 2,000 people from the 17th century have already been unearthed. She expects to find several hundred more plague victims still buried underground.
It is already clear, Langbein says, that this is the largest plague cemetery ever discovered in Germany. The scientific findings could be diverse. That this was a major discovery was already clear to Langbein and her team at the beginning of the year. At that time, she estimated that there were more than a thousand dead who, according to experts, had died during a major plague wave in 1632/33. Now, the number could be as high as 2,800 to 3,000.
This number is already very surprising, says Langbein. The dead are buried in many layers, up to one and a half meters deep. The bones are greenish in color because a copper mill had previously disposed of waste on the site.
Bones tell stories of life in those times
Langbein says that a lot can be learned about the people in the first half of the 17th century from the bones. "We have representatives of all age groups: old, young, men, women, children, infants. The entire population cross-section is present, which makes the anthropological evaluation all the more exciting." Researchers can find out, among other things, how people lived at the time, what diseases they suffered from, how hard they had to work, and whether they had signs of malnutrition.
Langbein also expects important insights into the development of the plague, as DNA from the pathogen could be extracted from the teeth of the dead. Another research project focuses on intestinal parasites, for which samples have already been taken from the pelvis of the dead. A forensic scientist is also interested in insect remains from the mass graves to obtain precise information about the time of death, as explained by the excavation company In Terra Veritas in a video.
Conclusions about everyday clothing
It is also exciting that clothing remains have been preserved in the sandy soil, Langbein said. Leather, wool, and textiles usually rot quickly in the ground. This allows conclusions to be drawn about everyday clothing, as the dead in the mass graves were not buried in shrouds as was usually the case. The city archaeologist explained that this is less known than about festive clothing and finery that have been preserved for centuries.
However, the research is still in its early stages, Langbein said. "This is a project that will likely take several years." Now, the focus is on the excavation to make the site available for construction work as soon as possible. A nursing home and apartments for seniors are planned on the approximately 5,900 square meter site.
Following the archaeological excavations, the findings from the plague cemetery in Nuremberg could significantly contribute to the field of Archaeology. Researchers are eager to study the bones and artifacts to gain insights into daily life, diseases, work conditions, and nutrition during the 17th century.
The well-preserved clothing remains found in the cemetery offer an opportunity for historians to examine everyday attire of the times, providing new perspectives in historical fashion studies, which is a lesser-explored aspect in Archaeology.
