Skeletons of 3,000 victims of the plague, as well as other remains, have been discovered beneath a train station at the Liverpool Street Station in London, England.
The Crossrail construction project is constructing a new train station expansion beneath land once used as a burial ground. This is known as the Bedlam burial ground that was used as a cemetery from 1569 to 1738 starting just after the birth of William Shakespeare. The Great Fire of London occurred during this time period, and cholera struck the island several times over this 169-year-long time span.
The burial ground, once neighboring the Bethlam Royal Hospital, known as Bedlam, was often used for people who could not afford church burials. This facility, the first mental institution in the world, was later relocated outside of the city.
Roman artifacts, including cremation urns and horseshoes, have already been discovered during excavation, suggesting a road from that ancient culture may soon be found. Rome conquered Britain in the year C.E. 43 and held control of the island for 367 years. In addition, researchers have discovered the remains of a Tudor-era home, and a pair of ice skates from the medieval period.
Skeletons found during the massive construction project are already being recovered by 60 archaeologists and other investigators, and will be re-buried in a graveyard just outside England's capital city. The remains will be examined and tested in an effort to learn more about the spread of the disease as well as human migration patterns, diet and more.
"The Bedlam burial ground spans a fascinating phase of London's history, including the transition from the Tudor-period City into cosmopolitan early-modern London," Jay Carver, lead archaeologist for Crossrail, said.
The Great Plague of London was the last major epidemic of the bubonic plague, which struck in 1665, killing around 100,000 people, about one-quarter of the population of the city. The illness affected the region numerous other times, from 1347 to 1750, a period known as The Second Pandemic. The tragedy of this event was dwarfed by the Black Death and is mainly noted for being the last great outbreak of the illness.
Skeletons have been found before during the Crossrail excavation project, one of the largest in Europe. Over 400 skeletons were recovered near Liverpool Street Station in 2012 and 2013. An additional 10,000 archaeological artifacts have also been found in 40 separate locations.
Archaeologists will continue to examine the excavation six days a week, wrapping up their work in September when the grounds will be ready for a new ticket hall that is scheduled to open in 2018.
