Archaeologists have excavated the largest mass grave of plague victims in Europe to date. The discovery was made in Nuremberg, Germany. The research was published in the official gazette Web site Scientific organization at Terra Veritas (ITV).
Scientists say they discovered eight pits, each filled with hundreds of skeletons of adults, children and babies. Experts also recovered ceramic shards and silver coins from the ground. Radiocarbon dating of the objects showed that the age of the pieces coincided with plague epidemics that occurred between 1622 and 1634.
Some of the skeletons were painted green from debris from iron structures built over the cemeteries in subsequent centuries.
“A discovery like this has never happened before and frankly no one thought it was possible. This area is of great importance for the city of Nuremberg,” said Melanie Langbein, expert at the Nuremberg Office for the Protection of Cultural Heritage.
According to historical data, from 1533 to 1634, a series of plague epidemics occurred in Nuremberg, which in total claimed the lives of about 30 thousand people. There were so many bodies that authorities ordered them to be buried outside the city cemetery.
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