people are surprised about what lies beneath London especially when they find
beneath London especially when they find
beneath London especially when they find that human remains
the Liverpool Street Station is one the
the Liverpool Street Station is one the most important for archaeology because
most important for archaeology because
most important for archaeology because we’re right in the heart of the ancient
we’re right in the heart of the ancient
we’re right in the heart of the ancient city here the century was in use at
city here the century was in use at
city here the century was in use at least 150 years and during that time
least 150 years and during that time
least 150 years and during that time there are at least four recorded
there are at least four recorded
there are at least four recorded outbreaks of bubonic plague in London
outbreaks of bubonic plague in London
outbreaks of bubonic plague in London including the Great Plague of 1665 in
including the Great Plague of 1665 in
including the Great Plague of 1665 in which perhaps 20% of London’s population
which perhaps 20% of London’s population
which perhaps 20% of London’s population died in a matter of months certainly
died in a matter of months certainly
died in a matter of months certainly we’ve got many victims of that
we’ve got many victims of that
we’ve got many victims of that particular event here this symmetry
particular event here this symmetry
particular event here this symmetry allows us to look at something that
allows us to look at something that
allows us to look at something that hasn’t really been looked at before and
hasn’t really been looked at before and
hasn’t really been looked at before and that is the DNA of the plague pathogen
that is the DNA of the plague pathogen
that is the DNA of the plague pathogen your senior pestis we could take a tiny
your senior pestis we could take a tiny
your senior pestis we could take a tiny sample from the tooth and now we can
sample from the tooth and now we can
sample from the tooth and now we can compare a DNA with examples of people
compare a DNA with examples of people
compare a DNA with examples of people who died from plague from the last two
who died from plague from the last two
who died from plague from the last two millennia it’s important for us to
millennia it’s important for us to
millennia it’s important for us to understand the evolution of infectious
understand the evolution of infectious
understand the evolution of infectious diseases over time and perhaps also
diseases over time and perhaps also
diseases over time and perhaps also understand how it might change in the
understand how it might change in the
understand how it might change in the future we have a database of names of
future we have a database of names of
future we have a database of names of people we know who are buried here the
people we know who are buried here the
people we know who are buried here the ultimate goal is to try and connect an
ultimate goal is to try and connect an
ultimate goal is to try and connect an individual skeleton to a known biography
individual skeleton to a known biography
individual skeleton to a known biography most of the burials are completely
most of the burials are completely
most of the burials are completely anonymous we’ve only found half a dozen
anonymous we’ve only found half a dozen
anonymous we’ve only found half a dozen fragments of small gravestones where the
fragments of small gravestones where the
fragments of small gravestones where the details of the person are kind of itched
details of the person are kind of itched
details of the person are kind of itched on dying and being buried was a serious
on dying and being buried was a serious
on dying and being buried was a serious financial impact on poorer families in
financial impact on poorer families in
financial impact on poorer families in the 16th and 17th century so this was
the 16th and 17th century so this was
the 16th and 17th century so this was the cheapest place we’ll be taking a
the cheapest place we’ll be taking a
the cheapest place we’ll be taking a sample of those skeletons and doing a
sample of those skeletons and doing a
sample of those skeletons and doing a full comprehensive analysis because
full comprehensive analysis because
full comprehensive analysis because whilst we have human remains of the
whilst we have human remains of the
whilst we have human remains of the medieval occurrence of the plague and
medieval occurrence of the plague and
medieval occurrence of the plague and for the late 18th and 19th centuries
for the late 18th and 19th centuries
for the late 18th and 19th centuries after it we had this huge gap in our
after it we had this huge gap in our
after it we had this huge gap in our knowledge that this cemetery will help
knowledge that this cemetery will help
knowledge that this cemetery will help us to fill our job is to look at the
us to fill our job is to look at the
us to fill our job is to look at the bones themselves and record what
bones themselves and record what
bones themselves and record what diseases they had how healthy they were
diseases they had how healthy they were
diseases they had how healthy they were what type of injuries they suffered
what type of injuries they suffered
what type of injuries they suffered during their lives
during their lives
during their lives this first skeleton as an adult female
this first skeleton as an adult female
this first skeleton as an adult female who at the time of death was suffering
who at the time of death was suffering
who at the time of death was suffering from venereal syphilis this was an adult
from venereal syphilis this was an adult
from venereal syphilis this was an adult male he suffered a severe blow to the
male he suffered a severe blow to the
male he suffered a severe blow to the head resulting in blunt force trauma
head resulting in blunt force trauma
head resulting in blunt force trauma it’s very important that we take time to
it’s very important that we take time to
it’s very important that we take time to study our past whether it’s in documents
study our past whether it’s in documents
study our past whether it’s in documents or whether it is in the ground because
or whether it is in the ground because
or whether it is in the ground because the more we know about our past the more
the more we know about our past the more
the more we know about our past the more we know who we are the more we can
we know who we are the more we can
we know who we are the more we can understand about our future
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