lntriguing: Black death remains found beneath Central London

Centuries old remains have been discovered beneath the streets of central London by archaeologists working on Crossrail.

The skeletons of 13 people believed to have been struck down by the Black Death Plague in the fourteenth century have been found underneath Charterhouse Square, Farringdon.Archaeologists involved with Europe’s biggest infrastructure project think the remains could be a sign they have discovered an ancient burial site, home to as many as 50,000 unfortunate victims of the epidemic which beset London around 1349.Crossrail lead archaeologist Jay Carver said: “We will be undertaking scientific tests on the skeletons over the coming months to establish their cause of death, whether they were Plague victims from the 14th Century or later London residents, how old they were and perhaps evidence of who they were.“However, at this early stage, the depth of burials, the pottery found with the skeletons and the way the skeletons have been set out, all point towards this being part of the 14th Century emergency burial ground.

The skeletons will be carefully excavated before being taken to the Museum of London Archaeology for testing.The remains today present no health risk as plague cannot survive long under the soil, experts said.