As of: February 22, 2024, 7:37 p.m
By: Katarina Amtmann
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It is the largest plague grave in Germany and possibly Europe.
There may even be dead people from another epidemic lying there - the pictures from the excavation site.
1 / 8Numerous skeletons were found on a construction site in Nuremberg.
It is probably one of the largest plague graves in Germany.
© Daniel Löb/dpa +++ dpa-Bildfunk +++
2 / 8A view of the construction site.
A new retirement home is to be built there.
© Daniel Löb/dpa +++ dpa-Bildfunk +++
3 / 8City archaeologist Melanie Langbein describes the site as the largest plague cemetery in Germany and possibly even Europe.
According to the expert, the high scientific value of the excavation could provide important insights into the development of the plague.
© Daniel Löb/dpa +++ dpa-Bildfunk +++
4 / 8Mayor Marcus König (r.) stands at the excavation site.
Experts estimate that there are around eight mass graves on the site.
An excavation company is currently investigating the third mass grave.
So far, around 800 deaths have been documented, as excavation director Florian Melzer explained.
However, well over a thousand dead people could be buried there.
© Daniel Löb/dpa +++ dpa-Bildfunk +++
5 / 8According to the experts, the archaeological excavations are complex.
The bones are very fragile.
In addition, the dead lie in many layers on top of each other in the graves.
Some of the skeletons are damaged because a bomb hit the property during World War II.
© Daniel Löb/dpa +++ dpa-Bildfunk +++
6 / 8According to Langbein, the deceased probably died in the first half of the 17th century.
In 1632/33 there was a large wave of plague in Nuremberg with over 15,000 deaths.
The first indications of the graves were found during exploration work in August 2023.
“The fact that it reached these dimensions also surprised us,” she said.
© Daniel Löb/dpa +++ dpa-Bildfunk +++
7 / 8Among the deceased are children, older people, women and men - a cross-section of the population at the time.
In some cases, remnants of clothing such as buttons, eyelets and hooks are still preserved.
Some of the dead were buried in shrouds, others appear to have been thrown in.
© Daniel Löb/dpa +++ dpa-Bildfunk +++
8 / 8The experts still have a lot of research work to do.
There is evidence that there are also dead bodies from a cholera epidemic in the 19th century on the site.
“We may not only have plague, but plague and cholera,” says Langbein.
© Daniel Löb/dpa +++ dpa-Bildfunk +++