Black Death Burial Site Identified Near Erfurt * Science and Technology Times

Researchers in Leipzig have uncovered strong evidence of a Black Death mass grave near the abandoned medieval village of Neuses, close to Erfurt.
The site appears to match descriptions from 14th‑century chronicles documenting large plague burials.
This discovery offers a rare opportunity to study one of Europe’s most devastating pandemics through both historical and scientific methods.

Evidence of a Lost Plague Burial

An interdisciplinary team from Leipzig University, the Leibniz Institute for the History and Culture of Eastern Europe, and the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research has identified what may be Europe’s first systematically located Black Death mass grave. Their findings, published in PLOS One, combine historical accounts with geophysical surveys and sediment analysis. Researchers used electrical resistivity mapping and sediment coring to reconstruct the medieval landscape and detect a large subsurface structure measuring roughly 10 × 15 × 3.5 meters. Radiocarbon dating of human remains recovered from boreholes places them firmly in the 14th century.

Contemporary records describe eleven large burial pits outside Erfurt where approximately 12,000 plague victims were interred during the 1350 outbreak. Until now, the exact locations of these pits had remained unknown. The newly identified structure aligns closely with these descriptions, suggesting the team may have located one of the long‑lost plague graves. Dr. Michael Hein of Leipzig University notes that full confirmation will require future archaeological excavation.

Reading the Landscape as Historical Evidence

The study highlights how medieval burial practices were shaped by local soil conditions. Researchers found that both the former village of Neuses and the suspected burial pit lie within a dry chernozem zone along the River Gera’s valley edge. These fertile soils were preferred for burials, as decomposition occurred more predictably than in the wetter floodplain areas nearby. Moist soils were avoided because slower decay was believed to increase the risk of harmful vapors, a concept consistent with the medieval “miasma theory.”

This environmental insight helps explain why plague burials were placed far outside city walls, alongside legal and political considerations. The team’s interdisciplinary approach—combining historical research, geophysics, and soil science—allowed them to interpret the landscape as an archive of past events. Dr. Hein suggests that similar methods could help locate other epidemic‑related or conflict‑related mass graves. Dr. Ulrike Werban of UFZ emphasizes that the discovery was the result of systematic investigation rather than chance.

Scientific and Cultural Impact

Confirmed Black Death mass graves are extremely rare, with fewer than ten known across Europe. The Erfurt site adds a significant chapter to the city’s medieval history, which received UNESCO World Heritage recognition in 2023. It also opens new avenues for genetic and anthropological research, including studies of Yersinia pestis, the bacterium responsible for the plague. Such analyses may clarify why mortality rates were so high in the mid‑14th century and how communities responded to widespread crisis.

The project also demonstrates the value of non‑invasive archaeological techniques for heritage preservation. Planned excavations, conducted with the Thuringian State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology, will supply material for genetic analysis at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. Professor Christoph Zielhofer of Leipzig University notes that the discovery offers insights into how societies confront mass mortality and how modern science can help identify historical burial sites. These themes remain relevant today as researchers continue to study past pandemics to better understand present‑day challenges.