London's Newest Discoveries

London, England is in the process of building a new railway line. In the process of digging the holes necessary for the new railway workers have made a great many interesting discoveries. One of the most recent discoveries is what archaeologists believe to have been a burial ground for victims of the Black Death (http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/03/15/britain-black-death.html).  The discovery of thirteen skeletons that they believe to have been victims of the Black Death is only one of the many interesting finds that have been discovered by the workers. Other interesting finds include 55 million years old amber, 68,000 years old bison and mammoth bones, remains of a large manor house with moat from the 1500s and remains from Roman times. It just seems to be a continuous succession of finds, which are most likely delaying the building of the railway. With a history as vast and interesting as London’s it really is no wonder that they are discovering all these extremely interesting finds as they dig holes all over the place! Although everyone seems to think these discoveries are unusual for some reason.

Scientists are studying the bones of these thirteen skeletons to determine cause of death, and with DNA testing determine if it was indeed the Black Death. Everyone has heard of the Black Death, and if they haven’t then the most certainly should! The Black Death killed around 75 million people within a four year period (the length of the pandemic), and thousands of those people were in London. Archaeologists believe that the skeletons found were victims of the Black Death due to the way they were laid out and the depth at which they were buried, which are very similar to another Black Death burial ground.

These are not the only skeletons that they have unearthed either. Over 300 skeletons have been discovered at the New Cemetery near the Bedlam Hospital at Liverpool Street. What is really interesting to me is that they did not actually have to dig very deep to find all of these things; and that they have found so many things! It makes me wonder what else they might find as they continue their railway project. I have always loved the history of England and I find all these discoveries so truly fascinating. I really wish that I could be there to see all of them, and to work with the archaeologists on these projects. Maybe I’ll find a fieldwork program there someday…