A shocking discovery by archaeologists in Germany. The largest such find in Europe

In Nuremberg, during archaeological research that was supposed to precede the construction of new residential buildings, mass graves were found. The remains of about 1,000 people have been discovered there so far, but experts believe their number may be over 1,500.

A mass grave of plague victims was discovered in Nuremberg. The remains of over 1,500 people were found

According to information provided by Melanie Langbein of the Nuremberg National Heritage Protection Department, archaeologists discovered eight pits in which the remains were found. – These people were not buried in an ordinary cemetery, although in Nuremberg we have designated plague cemeteries (epidemic cemeteries – ed.) – Langbein said in an interview with . – This means a large number of dead who had to be buried in a short time, regardless of Christian funeral customs – she added. According to Langbein, the people buried in the pits had enough to die because of the plague, which appeared in Nuremberg already in the 14th century.

Archaeologists used radiocarbon dating to determine a possible burial date. It was determined that it could have occurred between 1400 and 1600. They also found pottery shards and coins dating back to the late 1600s in the graves. According to one of the notes from 1634, obtained by experts, in 1632-1633 a plague epidemic killed over 15,000 people. people. Nearly 2 thousand of them were buried at the site of the current excavations, near the hospital there.

Julian Decker, owner of In Terra Veritas, the company that is conducting the excavations, told CNN he was surprised by the discovery. – There was no indication that there were burials in this field – he commented. He also added that after discovering the first remains, he thought they could have come from World War II. According to Decker, the number of dead may be higher. – Personally, I expect the number to be 2,000 or even more, which will make this place the largest mass grave in Europe – he added.

An extraordinary discovery in Nuremberg. The city is planning an exhibition

According to Melanie Langbein, the plague epidemic of 1632-1633 was exceptionally difficult due to the wars fought in 1618-1648. – Nuremberg was surrounded by various troops, and the population lived in quite tragic conditions – Langbein reported. According to the researchers, “the graves contain a representative sample of society at the time, which allows them to study the characteristics of the population.”

“We can use statistical measures to examine the size and demographics of a city, including the percentage of children and adults, women and men, and overall health,” Decker said. Langbein announced in an interview with CNN that the next step would be to complete the excavations, as well as clean and analyze the bone material. Cooperation with institutions that will be interested in analyzing the plague is also planned. “We are also planning an exhibition, but that will take some time, so fall 2025 would be the earliest we could be ready,” Langbein said.