The Unearthed Accounts: Insights into the Lives of Black Death Survivors in Cambridge
Delving into medieval Cambridge, researchers meticulously examined bones to uncover fascinating insights into the lives of Black Death survivors, offering a unique glimpse into the realities of life during this haunting period
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The skeletons, unearthed from archaeological excavations that commenced in the 1970s, are estimated to be from the time period between 1000 and 1500.
Cambridge was inhabited by a few thousand individuals during the medieval period. The study revealed that the Black Death, also known as the bubonic plague, swept through the city in 1348 to 1349, resulting in the death of 40% to 60% of its population.
Using radiocarbon dating and DNA analysis, archaeologists studied the bones of townsfolk, scholars, friars, and merchants, ultimately focusing on 16 individuals. Their DNA, bodily trauma, activities, and diets were examined to create a more complete understanding of their lives, known as osteobiographies. The findings of this study were published in the journal Antiquity on Thursday. "An osteobiography utilizes all available evidence to reconstruct the life of an ancient individual," explained lead study author John Robb, a professor at Cambridge University. "Our team employed techniques similar to those used in studies such as Richard III's skeleton, but this time to uncover the details of unknown lives - people we would never learn about in any other way."
An illustration shows a typical marketplace in medieval Cambridge.
Mark Gridley/After the Plague
The bone biographies are available on Cambridge Universitys After the Plague project website.
is crucial for understanding the lives of everyday people, rather than just the elite, who are often the focus of historical records, explained coauthor Dr. Sarah Inskip, a researcher and osteoarchaeologist at the University of Leicester.
The After the Plague project, initiated in 2016, centered on analyzing burials from various sites in Cambridge, including the St. John the Evangelist Hospital, the All Saints by the Castle parish church, and the Augustinian Friary. The collected bones revealed a narrative of the diverse individuals who lived in medieval Cambridge and the challenges they encountered. To protect their identities, the researchers assigned pseudonyms to the individuals based on historical records.
"Death and time ensure anonymity for our sources, but we wanted to them to feel relatable," Robb said.
Portrait of Beethoven by Joseph Karl Stieler, 1820.
Beethoven-Haus Bonn
Beethoven's hair DNA analysis uncovers undisclosed health concerns and a hidden family history. Osteobiographies offer insight into the lives of individuals like Anne, who endured multiple injuries leading to a shortened right leg, and Eudes, a friar with a robust diet and struggles with gout.
The bones reveal fascinating tales, like Edmund's, who had leprosy but was not shunned and received a rare wooden coffin for burial instead of a simple shroud. Another example is Wat, who survived the plague and passed away as an elderly man with cancer. Wat lived in the Hospital of St. John, established to care for the less fortunate as a form of medieval social welfare.
"Cambridge, like all medieval towns, was rife with poverty," Robb recounted. "A fortunate few destitute individuals were granted lifetime room and board at the hospital. The selection process likely encompassed a combination of economic need, local politics, and spiritual worth."
The hospital could accommodate around a dozen people at a time, and some stayed for extended periods. Established in 1195, it continued to serve the poor for centuries until it was ultimately replaced by St. John's College in 1511. The hospital's primary objective was to assist the impoverished, rather than to provide medical treatment, and strict regulations prohibited the limited staff from admitting those incapable of self-care.
This illustration depicts Wat, who survived the Black Death and died of cancer as an elderly man.
Mark Gridley/After the Plague
Robb explained that lepers, pregnant women, and the insane were not allowed, and that piety was mandatory for those living in the hospital. He also mentioned that residents were required to pray for the souls of the hospital benefactors, turning the hospital into what he called a "prayer factory."
While most of the skeletons found in the hospital cemetery were from people who lived in Cambridge or nearby villages, three individuals appeared to have journeyed long distances to reach the city. One of these individuals was a woman named Christiana. Analysis of her bone chemistry indicates that she may have come from as far away as Norway. The researchers are uncertain about what brought her to Cambridge as a young adult, but it is believed that it could have been for a short-term trip involving trade, traveling with family members who were merchants, or to attend the annual Stourbridge Fair, one of England's largest fairs held on the outskirts of the city.
Christiana passed away sometime during her visit. There were no signs of injury or severe chronic disease on her bones, but it is believed that she may have succumbed to a rapid infection.
Even though the hospital did not normally accept short-term residents for medical care, Christiana was buried in the cemetery's consecrated ground as an act of charity, as per the project's guidelines.
In medieval times, studying each skeleton provided researchers with valuable information about the diets, physical strain, and health issues of the residents of Cambridges. The bones painted a vivid picture of the challenges of daily life during that era.
For instance, half of the individuals laid to rest in All Saints cemetery did not make it past childhood. Meanwhile, the children interred in the hospital cemetery were noticeably smaller than their peers of the same age, displaying symptoms of anemia, injury, and illnesses like tuberculosis.
This skull belonged to Dickon, who died of the plague.
After the Plague
The hospital residents displayed signs of difficult upbringings marked by famine and prevalent illnesses. However, their circumstances often improved upon their arrival at the hospital, as they were provided with a wholesome and nourishing diet, leading to positive changes in their health during their later years.
Due to the length of time it takes for dietary improvements to manifest in the bones, the study indicated that certain residents, like Maria, may have resided at the hospital for a period of five to 10 years. Maria had suffered from illness since childhood and is believed to have succumbed to tuberculosis between the ages of 18 and 25.
The men at the Augustinian Friary were visibly taller than the townspeople and had a diet rich in meat and fish. Additionally, a group of early university scholars were identified by studying their arm bones. While the townspeople had well-developed right arms from manual labor, 10 male skeletons were notably different.
"These individuals were not typically engaged in physical labor or skilled trade, and they enjoyed good health with adequate nutrition, often living to a ripe old age. It is probable that they were among the early academics of the University of Cambridge," Robb stated. "University clergy members did not receive lifelong support from religious orders as novices. Most scholars were financially supported by their families, income from teaching, or charitable benefactors. Those scholars with less means were at risk of falling into poverty when illness or disability struck. With the expansion of the university, more scholars likely found their final resting place in hospital cemeteries."
Members of the Cambridge Archaeological Unit work on the excavation of the Hospital of St. John in 2010.
Cambridge Archaeological Unit
Some remains of individuals who perished during the plague have been identified, including Dickon, who passed away between the ages of 45 and 60. It is believed that after falling ill, he only managed to survive for two to three days before succumbing to the Black Death in the comfort of his own home. However, those who looked after him ensured that he was laid to rest in accordance with the local church cemetery's protocols, as confirmed by the project.
The study authors noted that while the Black Death caused the deaths of countless individuals, it was not the most significant danger. Chronic infectious diseases such as tuberculosis had a widespread impact on populations throughout Europe.
"Everyday diseases, such as measles, whooping cough and gastrointestinal infections, ultimately took a far greater toll on medieval populations," Robb said.
