After the plague: health and history in medieval Cambridge
Year of award: 2016
Grantholders
Prof John Robb
University of Cambridge
Dr Piers Mitchell
University of Cambridge
Dr Toomas Kivisild
University of Cambridge
Craig Cessford
University of Cambridge
Project summary
This research aims to build a refined picture of health, lifestyle and activity in medieval England through direct examination of human bodies excavated from the Hospital of St John, Cambridge. Comparing samples from before and after the Black Death, the research team hope to understand the biosocial effects of the plague that decimated Europe in the mid-14th century. The project involves methods from many disciplines, including archaeology, history, osteoarchaeology and DNA analysis.