They find more than 300 skeletons under the shopping center

A team of archaeologists in the United Kingdom Discover more than 300 human skeletons Under a Old shopping center in GlosterThe city of southwest England with a rich history in the Middle Ages.

The result happened during the works before Build a new university campus From the University of Ghodchire.

The discovery corresponds to a cemetery associated with the lost Church of San Owen, a The religious temple is built between the twelfth and thirteenth centuries During the English Civil War, he was demolished in 1643.

You may be interested in reading: They found the remains of women who were part of the Peru elite 5,000 years ago

This church was part of an urban fabric in which religious institutions abound, which is a reflection of Political, administrative and commercial importance Gloster was during the Middle Ages.

Excavations on solar energy from Oldehams

The excavation began in 2024, at the site where the Musthams Center was previously operated, Certainly closed in 2021.

Archaeological investigations, responsible for the Kutsoold Antiquities Company, led by the municipal archaeologist Andrew Armstrong, are part of the impact studies before building the new university box.

So far, and Archaeologists have regained 317 human bodiesArranged in multiple layers of burial, indicating the continuous use of the cemetery for several centuries.

The remains correspond to Men, women and childrenAnd buried a lot In wooden coffins, as on the face of the earth directlyIn some cases without a uniform direction.

Initial dating indicates that the burial They cover from the eleventh to the eighteenth centuryCovering at least 600 years of local history.

St. Owen: A lost church in time

The Saint Owen Church, to which this cemetery belongs, was demolished during the armed conflict that faced realism and parliamentarians in the seventeenth century. In 1643, when Gloucester’s defenses are strengthened by resisting the siege of real forces, the building was destroyed with other historical properties.

However, the graves surrounding these temples survived under layers of urban construction They remained hidden for several centuriesUntil contemporary projects – such a campus – allow them to be re -discovered.

What is the importance of archaeological discovery?

This discovery is one of the largest bone groups that have been recovered in Gloucester recently. According to experts, the result opens new opportunities to study medieval urbanization, as well as to research biology, increase, health and historical nutrition.

The University of Ghodchire, which is participating directly in the project, expressed its interest in using this conclusion as a source of future scientific and academic research. The remnants of the remains will allow the study of living conditions in the Middle Ages such as malnutrition, infectious diseases, physical shocks and possibly local epidemics.

In addition, nails, fabric fragments and other things related to burial are found, which can provide valuable information about the funeral rituals and the social context of the burial.

What will happen to skeletons

According to British legislation on human remains, The skeletons will be analyzed by biological scientists Then re -respect to a local cemetery. Laws They seek to balance the scientific value From studying with the moral respect of the deceased.

Archaeologist Andrew Armstrong pointed out this The process will be documented and shared with the communityThis type of results It will also educate the audience About the history of the medieval city of the city and funeral practices in that period.

A city based on its past

Gloucester, like many European cities, was built on CAPE for more than a thousand years. What is the day streets, commercial buildings, or public transportation stations, were one day monasteries, churches, squares and tombs. The discovery in the shadow of Habams does not confirm the previous archaeological doubts about the existence of this cemetery, but also provides a unique opportunity to reconnect with the past.

The site will remain under investigation in the coming months. The final results of the bone analysis will be published in an academic report, and in the end, part of the objects in a general exhibition can be merged around the history of Gloucester in the Middle Ages.

BGPA